HOWARD JOHNSON is looking to bring back his “standard bearer” in Saturday’s totetentofollow Old Roan Chase at Aintree this Saturday.
The County Durham handler will be hoping his eight-year-old can lead the charge for his stable this season and will start off in Saturday’s £60,000 Grade Two chase, the feature of Aintree’s seven-race card on the first day of their two-day autumn meeting.
The news of the death of triple World Hurdle winner Inglis Drever last week will have saddened all at Johnson’s stable. But they will be hopeful that Tidal Bay, who runs in the same Graham Wylie brown and black silks as Inglis Drever, can help lift some of the gloom.
Tidal Bay won two Grade One chases in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham and John Smith’s Maghull Novices’ Chase over two miles of the Mildmay course at Aintree.
He was among the 12 entries for the Old Roan Chase, which is the first in the £100,000 70-race Order of Merit series, along with last two winners of the contest – Knowhere (2008) and Monet’s Garden (2007).
Tidal Bay will be having his first run since he was fifth to Voy Por Ustedes in the Grade One John Smith’s Melling Chase at Aintree back in April – the only time he has been out of the first two at the Liverpool track on five visits
Johnson said yesterday: “We are looking forward to getting Tidal Bay back on the racecourse. We had him hobdayed through the summer and we are hoping that has tidied him up.
“I would say at the minute that he will probably be our standard bearer this year.
“He jumped a few fences indoors this morning and looked good. He’ll school outdoors if it keeps drizzling like it is now and he will have a piece of work with Denis O’Regan up, probably tomorrow. If I’m happy and the ground is all right, we’ll go to Aintree.
“He is training well and we’ll weigh him on Wednesday. He actually looks like he’s carrying a lot more condition this year, which is good because he always looks gorky.”
Johnson’s stable have been in fine form and have a 33% strike rate this month with nine wins from 27 runners.
He added: “The horses in general are all right, I’m happy enough with them, it’s just that we haven’t been able to get on the grass yet. The ground has been too firm and the racecourses don’t help us trainers in the north east because they won’t let us work our horses on the tracks.”
But the race looks particularly competitive with Tom George entering the classy Nacarat, who was a couple of places ahead of Tidal Bay when third in the Grade One John Smith’s Melling Chase in April and also Tartak, who landed the inaugural running of the Grade Two John Smith’s Manifesto Novices’ Chase over the course and distance at the same Grand National meeting.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has two choices to pick from with Kicks For Free, who won a novice chase at the same meeting 12 months ago, and 2008 Galway Plate winner Oslot.
David Pipe has Tamarinbleu, runner-up in the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock last season, while the only Irish raider is the Tom Taaffe-trained Finger Onthe Pulse, whose finest hour came when winning the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2008.
The declarations for the Old Roan Chase are completed by the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Don’t Push It, who won the John Smith’s Handicap Chase in April, Ferdy Murphy’s Three Mirrors and Paul Webber’s Laskari.
Also on Saturday’s seven-race card which starts at 1.05pm is the £18,000 totejackpot Handicap Hurdle over an extended two miles and the £30,000 toteswinger Veterans’ Handicap Chase (1.40pm) over three miles and a furlong. Restricted to horses aged 10 and over, the 14 entries include old favourites such as Lacdoudal, Cornish Sett and Simon.
The going at Aintree is currently described as good.
Aintree’s clerk of the course and director of racing Andrew Tulloch, said: “We will keep an eye on conditions and water again if it is necessary. Our aim is to produce good ground for this weekend.
“I am very pleased with the state of the course, it is looking in great shape.”
The second day of Aintree’s two-day meeting on Sunday features six races with the highlight, the £20,000 Radio City 96.7 Handicap Chase (3.20pm) over two miles. Sunday is the popular “Matalan Freaky Family Funday”.
There will plenty of Halloween spooky attractions including a ‘Thriller’ performance and dance workshop by Britain’s Got Talent dance troupe MD Productions, magic shows, fairground rides and Halloween crafts, while there will also be both a kids and an adults’ fancy dress competition.
TODAY’S NAP: Flamsteed (3.30pm Lingfield)
Tickets for Saturday and Sunday can be purchased online at www.aintree.co.uk or by calling 0844 579 3001. Tickets cost £19 with free admission for all accompanied children aged 16 and under.
