Aintree specialist Ultragold is set to use the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as the stepping-stone towards the £1-million Randox Health Grand National at Aintree.
The 2019 Randox Health Grand National, which takes place at Aintree on Saturday, April 6, day three of the Randox Health Grand National Festival, is being run for the 172nd time and is the most valuable chase anywhere in the world.
Ultragold winning the 2017 Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase
The Colin Tizzard-trained Ultragold (RHGN weight 10st 3lb) has captured the two latest editions of the Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase, also staged over the Grand National fences during the Randox Health Grand National Festival but over two miles and five furlongs rather than four and a quarter miles.
Ultragold’s winning odds in the Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase came to 50/1 in 2017 and 14/1 in 2018. He is a 33/1 chance for the Randox Health Grand National with Betway, official betting partner of the Randox Health Grand National Festival.
The 11-year-old continued his good record over the Grand National fences with a staying-on third behind to Walk In The Mill (Robert Walford, 10st, 25/1 with Betway) in the G3 Becher Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles at Aintree in December. He was last seen out when fifth in the G3 Classic Handicap Chase (3m 5f) at Warwick on January 12.
The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, staged over three and three quarter miles on Wednesday, March 13, can be a good pointer to the Randox Health Grand National, with Tiger Roll (2018) and Silver Birch (2007) having used the race as a stepping-stone to Aintree glory in recent years.
Tizzard, who trains on the Dorset/Somerset border, said: “Ultragold is in good form. We have had a brainwave with him that we are going to run in the Glenfarclas Cross Country.
“It seemed a good prep race for Tiger Roll last year before the Grand National and that is our thinking with him.
“We have run him at Cheltenham for the last two or three years and it has always been a good prep for him before Aintree.
“He is in the Ultima (Handicap Chase, 3m 1f, Tuesday, March 12, at Cheltenham) but the Cross Country Chase is going to be the plan as I think he has got a better chance of winning that race.
“We are taking Ultragold up to Cheltenham to school over the Cross Country fences before The Festival, then he will head to the Grand National.
“If he gets into the Grand National with the weights, then that is where he will run.
“He has been superb over the fences with two victories in the Topham and we think he deserves a crack at the big one – he is so much better over the Grand National fences and they just seem to bring him alive.
“We tried him over three miles and six furlongs at Warwick last time out and he stayed on well, so there is no issue with his stamina – it would be special to see him line up in the Grand National.”
Ultragold is owned by Brocade Racing, John Romans and Terry Warner.
