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| Topham Chase Friday 13th April 2012 |
George Considering John Smith's Topham Chase for Triangular
28/03/12
Entries are revealed today for the £100,000 Grade Three John Smith’s Topham Chase and the £35,000 John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase at Aintree’s John Smith’s Grand National meeting.
The John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase takes place on the opening day of the three-day meeting, Liverpool Day, Thursday, April 12, with the John Smith’s Topham Chase following on Ladies Day, Friday, April 13. Both races are run over an extended two miles and five furlongs on the Grand National course.
The John Smith’s Topham Chase has attracted 45 entries including Triangular, an impressive winner of a Newbury handicap chase over an extended two miles and six furlongs on March 23.
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The seven-year-old joined trainer Tom George from France in the summer of 2011 and made a winning debut for the yard at Warwick in December over two miles before disappointing at Folkestone in early January. He produced an improved effort at Kempton later that month, finishing second, but the application of a tongue tie made the difference at Newbury last week as he scored comfortably by four and a half lengths.
George, who is based at Slad in Gloucestershire, said: “The John Smith’s Topham Chase is a race we are looking at for Triangular. He has come out of the race at Newbury very well. He has had a few days in the paddock just enjoying a bit of sun and a bit of grass and we’ll start picking his work up again at the end of the week.
“Obviously, we were pleased with what we saw at Newbury as he did it nicely and I think the tongue tie helped him. I couldn’t say he has plenty more to offer, but you couldn’t say he hasn’t. He’s an older horse and been around a bit, but he has slotted into the regime very well.
“Aintree should be fine for him as he is very careful over his fences. Guy Cherel, who trained him in France, said he needs to come to England because he is too careful for French racing.”
Other notable entries include Grade One winning Irish raider Forpadydeplasterer, who was victorious in the Racing Post Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2009 before a string of placed efforts including at Aintree in 2010, when he was second to Albertas Run in the John Smith’s Melling Chase.
Always Waining was an impressive winner of the past two renewals for trainer Peter Bowen, who also won the race with Dunbrody Miller in 2007. Bowen could also saddle the Japanese-bred gelding Sunday City and Rio Gael, who was last seen finishing second at Ffos Las in early November. Always Waining also currently holds an entry in the John Smith’s Grand National.
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The 2010 Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Little Josh, who was previously entered in the John Smith’s Grand National, heads a quartet of entries for the stable of Aintree specialist Nigel Twiston-Davies along with Viking Blond, who is still engaged in the John Smith’s Grand National as well as Billie Magern and Nikola.
Tim Vaughan could saddle Tartak, who won the Grade Two John Smith’s Manifesto Novices’ Chase in 2009. He could be re-routed to the John Smith’s Grand National having previously been entered in the big racel, as could the Lawney Hill-trained Minella Theatre.
Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins has enjoyed John Smith’s Grand National success with Hedgehunter and he could saddle Apt Approach, who won a Grade Two chase at Thurles in January. He is another contender to also still hold a John Smith’s Grand National entry.
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Last year’s John Smith’s Grand National-winning trainer Donald McCain could be represented by Cloudy Lane, who ran three times in the John Smith’s Grand National in his younger days, fairing best when sixth in 2008.
Boxer Georg managed to get within three-quarters of a length of last year’s winner Baby Run, and the Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old is one of five Irish-trained contenders along with Good Egg, who is trained by Lady Jennifer Fowler and was third in the champion hunter chase at the 2010 Punchestown Festival.
Another potential challenger who has experience of the course is the Paul Nicholls-trained Gwanako, winner of the John Smith’s Topham Chase in 2008 and successful on his last two starts in hunter chases.
Other interesting entries include My Flora, who finished fourth in the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, multiple Grade One scorer My Way De Solzen and Roulez Cool, who could represent the Robert and Sam Waley-Cohen partnership that was successful with Katarino in 2005 and 2006. Roulez Cool is also still engaged in the John Smith’s Grand National.
The BHA review into the running of the 2011 John Smith's Grand National recommended that Aintree build Aintree-style schooling fences at major jump training centres in preparation for the 2012 Grand National.
Two such fences are currently available to trainers at the Jockey Club Estates training grounds in Lambourn. Both the John Smith's Topham Chase and the John Smith's Fox Hunters' Chase take place over an extended two miles and five furlongs on the National course.
Entries for all races over the Mildmay and Hurdle courses at the John Smith's Grand National meeting close as normal at the five/six-day stage. Six-day confirmations for the John Smith's Topham Chase and the John Smith's Fox Hunters' Chase will proceed in the normal way on Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7, respectively.
