This Saturday sees another fine renewal of the Eider Chase which is run over a marathon distance of 4m1½f.
The race, which at one point in time was renamed the “Northern National” is regarded by some trainers and owners as the ideal prep race for the actual Grand National itself at Aintree in just under two months time, although this year none of the runners hold that entry.
Due to the time of year the race takes place, the conditions more often than not tend to be testing, providing a unique stamina contest for the horses and jockeys alike.
Invariably over the years the trends tend to point to about half the field failing to complete the race and on many occasions there are single digit finishers. It isn’t always the prettiest of races to watch for those very reasons.
Eider Chase Winners: (Last 10 Years)
- 2019 – CROSSPARK (12/1)
- 2018 – BAYWING (8/1)
- 2017 – BAYWING (8/1)
- 2017 – MYSTEREE (10/1)
- 2016 – ROCKING BLUES (8/1)
- 2015 – MILBOROUGH (18/1)
- 2014 – WYCK HILL (9/1)
- 2013 – No Race
- 2012 – PORTRAIT KING (11/4 fav)
- 2011 – COMPANERO (16/1).
Runner-By-Runner Guide
Prime Venture (Evan Williams)
The nine-year-old finished fourth in the Welsh Grand National but worryingly he hasn’t troubled the judge now since 2017 and is becoming more of a Placepot banker, than a horse racing betting win proposition.
Having said all that stamina is most certainly his forte and even though he will be required to lug around top weight here, he has to come into the reckoning.
Over To Sam (Harry Fry)
Over To Sam comes into this race on the back of a tidy win at Plumpton last month where he beat Christmas In April.
The lightly-raced nine-year-old has gone up 3lbs for that victory but he looks like a horse that is on the up.
Theligny (Tim Vaughan)
The nine-year-old has an unorthodox style of jumping but things all clicked into place last time when he accounted for Jammy George at Ffos Las.
As with many of these, the trip is an unknown, but a win at 3 miles in heavy ground at Ffos Las is a good grounding for any horse that is going on to tackle a marathon trip.
Fortified Bay (Jennie Candlish)
Jennie Candlish-trained runners traditionally come to the fore every season in the month of February, and for that very reason I think this in-from eight-year-old has an outstanding chance.
The trip should be no issue and it looks like he’ll be in the thick of it.
Shanroe Santos (Lucy Wadham)
The experienced eleven-year-old is a former Southern National winner and has previously mixed it with the best handicap chasers around.
If his old sparkle returns then he is certainly in with a great each-way shout at a nice price.
Calipso Collonges (Olly Murphy)
Calipso Collonges was last seen chasing home Lord Du Mesnil in the Tommy Whittle Handicap which is probably one of the most recent significant form lines in the entire field.
Based on his last run alone, the gelding should not be underestimated in this line up.
Petite Power (Fergal O’Brien)
Stamina will certainly not be an issue for the veteran in this contest but he does appear to be in the handicappers grip now after a successful season thus far.
My heart likes him, but my head tells me that he will probably get caught out by younger legs in the run for home.
Christmas In April (Colin Tizzard)
Christmas In April is another runner that should make a real fist of it in the conditions but doesn’t look particularly well handicapped.
The eight-year-old is very closely matched with Over To Sam and the pair of them could easily make the podium.
Very First Time (Dan Skelton)
Very First Time finished fourth behind Hugo 'n Taz in December, but bounced right back next time with a four lengths success at Doncaster.
He has gone up 7lbs for that win which will probably be his undoing in the final embers of this feature race.
Ascot De Bruyere (James Ewart)
The ten-year-old is somewhat of a course specialist at Newcastle, but he was well beaten on his last two starts here and has it all to do in the rematch with Fortified Bay.
Glittering Love (Nicky Richards)
Nicky Richards has been the Eider King in recent years and he teams up here with the “champion jockey-elect”, Brian Hughes.
The Eider has been the eight-year-old’s target for some time so I expect him to be very finely tuned for Saturday’s showpiece.
Donna’s Delight (Sandy Thomson)
Won last time out in heavy ground Ayr in a race where many failed to complete due to the testing conditions.
The nine-year-old has now been raised 6lbs in the handicap which will make this follow up attempt all the more difficult.
Hugo ‘N Taz (David Pipe)
David Pipe saddled Comply Or Die to lift the 2008 Eider and he will have similar grand designs with Hugo ‘N Taz.
The nine-year-old collected Market Rasen's Lincolnshire National on Boxing Day and he appeared to revel in the soft conditions. An 8lb rise in the weights may not curtail his upward curve just yet.
Alminar (Nigel Hawke)
I’ve been interested in this gelding ever since I saw him run at Chepstow in January 2019 and I had him down as a future stayer right away.
His subsequent runs at both Ffos Las and Chepstow have all pointed towards a possible big staying chase somewhere along the line, and here we are, on the cusp of the North’s finest long distance test. He’s a major each-way player for my money.
Financial Outcome (Rebecca Curtis)
A two-time winner on the point-to-point scene, but despite being pretty consistent, he’s only managed to get his head in front once so far under Rules.
He has age and weight on his side here however and could quite easily run into a place.
Eider Chase: Who Wins?
It’s a fair old trek from Devon to Newcastle and back so Nigel Hawke must believe that he’s heading up north with a runner that has a great chance.
Alminar is my nap but I’m finding hard to leave out Fortified Bay from my deliberations, so the Candlish runner is going to be my next best.
888sport suggests: Alminar and Fortified Bay (e/w).
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Lynne Sladky / AP Photo*
