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Poker De Sivola set for Grand National debut

At the age of nine, Poker De Sivola is likely to be in for his first shot at the Grand National at Aintree in April.

Ferdy Muphy’s French-bred horse has been one of the most promising long distance chasers in training over the last couple of seasons, in which he has looked like a perfect Grand National candidate.

At the age of seven, Poker De Sivola won the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in 2010 over four miles. Murphy’s runner got every yard of the trip, which suggests the 4m4f would not be a problem at Aintree. Anyone with 2012 Grand National free bets can’t rule him out.

On his latest start at Sandown, Timmy Murphy rode the French horse home in front in the Gold Cup Chase Handicap in a quality field over 3m5f. Poker De Sivola finished ahead of useful chasers Faasel and Baby Run at the Surrey track.

Despite the success over last couple of years, there have been setbacks along the way. In the 2010 Scottish Grand National, Graham Lee was forced to pull him up at the age of seven, as he wasn’t enjoying the conditions at Ayr. A year later he unseated Lee in the same race, when Beshabar, another Grand National contender, got the better of Merigo in a tight tussle up to the line.

One of the disadvantages that Poker De Sivola will have, if connections do decide to run him in the famous steeplechase, is experience around Aintree. The nine-year old has never been to Merseyside and would likely to be up against horses that have completed the course over the bigger obstacles against a field of 40 runners.

Carberry ready for Cheltenham

Paul Carberry has spoken of his determination to be back for the Cheltenham Festival in March after breaking his collar bone in a skiing accident next week.

Those looking at Cheltenham Festival Odds should note that the jockey will spend up to six weeks on the sidelines, which is far from ideal so close to the Festival, but his agent has stated that there should still be enough time for a full recovery.

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Endeavour looking positive for the National

Grand National contender Great Endeavour goes into the feature race in April on the back of a positive season so far with just three runs.

The David Pipe-trained eight year old started the campaign in the best possible manner by winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase at Cheltenham back in November. Timmy Murphy rode Great Endeavour home to a comfortable seven length victory ahead of Quantitativeeasing. Those looking at the best ante-post Grand National odds will have been impressed.

He followed that success up at Cheltenham by finishing a respectable fourth in the Hennessy Gold Cup two weeks later, in a race that was won by Carruthers, despite a late challenge from Pipe’s hope.

Three runs in two months then took it out of the former Byrne Gold Plate winner, as he ran a disappointing 11th place in the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup in December on his latest run. Quantitativeeasing got his revenge for the narrow defeat earlier in the campaign at Cheltenham.

The plan for the rest of the season looks unclear for Great Endeavour, but connections are refusing to rule out a shot at the famous steeplechase race at Aintree in April, despite the fact that the horse he has never run over a trip of more than 3m3f.

His last trip to Merseyside was in 2011 during the National meeting when he finished sixth in the John Smith’s Handicap Chase.

With the Cheltenham Festival approaching in March, Pipe does have options for his nine year old before going over the big obstacles in April. The Festival Handicap Chase and Ryanair Chase are possible targets as he aims for his second win at the biggest meeting of the year on the national hunt calendar.

Grand Crus on target for Cheltenham prep race

David Pipe’s high-class chaser Grand Crus remains on target to tackle either the Argento Chase at Cheltenham at the end of January or an alternative novice chase a month later before a final decision is made as to which race he will target at the forthcoming Cheltenham Festival in mid-March, writes Elliot Slater. Read more

Resist the urge to invest in Big Spender at Aintree

There’s a great deal to like about the Colin Tizzard-trained Hey Big Spender, a staying chaser who is clearly at the very peak of his powers at present, as he demonstrated once again at Warwick on January 14 in lugging a massive weight to victory in the Grade 3 Betfred Classic Chase over a stamina-sapping three-miles-five-furlongs in testing ground, writes Elliot Slater.

Given a fine ride by regular partner Joe Tizzard, the nine-year-old was settled at the rear of the 12-strong field as his rider concentrated on restoring his mount’s confidence that must surely have taken in dent when falling last time out at an early stage in the Welsh National at Chepstow at the end of December. Warming nicely to his task Hey Big Spender improved his position going into the final mile and came powering through (despite the steadier of 11st 12lbs) to hit the front at the final fence, then battled on bravely as the lightly weighted Fredo came home with a late surge that failed by only three-quarters-of-a-length. Fans of Stan James should bear this in mind.

A delighted Tizzard senior was fulsome in his praise of the winner who he suggested might now have a crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup if the ground was to come up soft, a race for which he is generally on offer at 66/1. Anyone looking at the BetVictor racing can’t rule him out.

A number of firms also introduced the gelded son of Rudimentary, (winner at Newcastle in November of the listed Rehearsal Chase where he outstayed The Hollinwell by a length-and-a-quarter), into the ante-post market for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 14, but Tizzard was quick to rule out any chance of his talented stayer heading to Aintree, insisting that Hey Big Spender is simply not a good enough jumper to be risked over the awesome National fences.

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