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racing news |
Webber Considering Sarando for Rowland Meyrick
14/12/11
Exciting second season chaser Sarando could bid to return to winning ways in the £40,000 Grade Three Betfair Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (1.45pm), highlight of the first day of the Welcome To Yorkshire Christmas Meeting at Wetherby on Monday, December 26.
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The six-year-old completed a progressive first campaign over fences last term when going down by a neck to Quito De La Roque in the Grade Two Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree’s Grand National meeting in April.
Webber revealed today: “The Betfair Rowland Meyrick Chase is certainly a possibility for Sarando. He got a bit of a trampling when he came down in the Hennessy Gold Cup - he was going terribly well at the time, so it was disappointing.
“He bruised a hind leg at Newbury but he has been cantering the last few days. He will do a bit of work tomorrow (Wednesday) morning and, providing that goes fine, we might be back on target with him. Hopefully, if Midnight Chase heads to Wetherby as well, we would have an ideal weight.
“Looking further ahead, the Racing Post Chase is another possible target. I haven’t discussed it much with Mike Cattermole, who runs the syndicate, but I would have thought that Sarando might benefit from a break in the New Year and then could head to Kempton at the end of February.”
The Betfair Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase, run over three miles and a furlong, was first run in 1957 and boasts an outstanding roll of honour with subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winners Forgive’ N Forget (1984) and The Thinker (1986) among the winners.
Yahoo, famously runner-up to Desert Orchid in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup, scored in 1987, while the Ferdy Murphy-trained Truckers Tavern, second to Best Mate in the 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cup, took the spoils in 2004. Champion trainer Paul Nicholls took the latest renewal in 2008 with Nozic.
This is the first year of an exciting two-year partnership with headline sponsor Welcome To Yorkshire. The Welcome To Yorkshire Christmas Meeting continues on Tuesday, December 27, when the highlight is the £16,000 Castleford Handicap Chase (2.20pm) over two miles.
A shuttle bus service will be in operation between Wetherby and the Racecourse before and after racing on both days of the meeting. The first bus will leave Wetherby at 11 am both days and offering a service approximately every 20 minutes, with return journeys commencing at 3.40pm for approximately an hour and a half.
Gates open on both days at 10 am with complimentary mulled wine and mince pies for the 'early birds' on Boxing Day. As usual, accompanied children under 16 years of age are admitted free of charge into all enclosures. There's also a dedicated 'Parenting Room' in the Paddock Enclosure, with baby-changing facilities, microwave and comfy chairs.
Musical entertainment during the meeting will be provided by 'LA Jazz' and the Endeavour Ceilidh Band, while 'Musical Ruth' - the singing nun - will be giving a rendition on Boxing Day.
The team from Rigmoor Reindeer will be bringing a couple of reindeer to add to the attractions on Boxing Day, which also includes an array of trade stands. There will also be a free to enter on-course competition to win an Amazon Kindle.
Advance Badges and Tickets for both days of the meeting are still available to buy from either the Racecourse office or by visiting the website www.wetherbyracing.co.uk with 20% discounts for group bookings.
