Entries unveiled for Crabbie's Topham Chase and Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 - Entries are revealed today for the races over the Grand National fences on the first two days of the Crabbie's Grand National Festival - the £40,000 Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase (4.05pm, Grand Opening Day, Thursday, April 9) and the £120,000 Grade Three Crabbie's Topham Chase (4.05pm, Ladies Day, Friday April 10). Both contests take place over an extended two miles and five furlongs.
There are 67 entries for the Crabbie's Topham Chase with last year's winning trainer Nicky Henderson responsible for three horses including the high-class Rajdhani Express (16/1 with Betfred, official betting partner of the Crabbie's Grand National Festival), who was third in the 2014 Grade One Ryanair Chase, plus Hunt Ball (20/1), who ran well for a long way in last year's Crabbie'sGrand National and Golden Hoof (25/1), who was successful in a novices' chase at Aintree in October. Henderson boasts a formidable Crabbie's Topham Chase record, having landed the prize four times with Wont Be Gone Long (1990), Liberthine (2006), Triolo D'Alene (2013) and Ma Filleule (2014).
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is well represented with a quartet of entries including dual Grade Two scorer Wonderful Charm (20/1), Rebel Rebellion (14/1), successful in handicap chases at Ascot and Newbury this season, Grade Three Greatwood Gold Cup scorer Sound Investment (12/1 co-favouirite) and Ruben Cotter (14/1), who scooped a valuable handicap chase at Kempton Park on March 14. Nicholls landed the Topham Chase in 2008 with Gwanako.
The other 12/1 co-favourites with Betfred are Eastlake (Jonjo O'Neill), third last season behind Ma Filleule and runner-up in the AP McCoy Grand Annual Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last time out plus Monetaire (David Pipe), who has shaped well on his three starts in Britain including when second in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Festival Plate last time out at Cheltenham.
The last Irish-trained winner of Crabbie's Topham Chase was Cregg House in 2005 and there are 17 entries from across the Irish Sea this time around. Ireland's champion trainer Willie Mullins, successful in 2002 with Its Time For a Win, has two entries with Turban (33/1) and Ballycasey (20/1), a Grade One victor last season and Crabbie's Grand National entry. Tony Martin has entered Savello (14/1), a good sixth in the Grade One Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 11.
Maggio (33/1), trained in County Dublin by Patrick Griffin, holds entries in both the Crabbie's Topham Chase and the Crabbie's Grand National. The 10-year-old was recently purchased by Douglas Pryde and Jim Beaumont, owners of 2013 Grand National hero Auroras Encore and big supporters of the Crabbie's Grand National Festival, and a trip to Aintree in April is now very much on the agenda.
Last season he was the impressive winner of a Listed chase over just short of three miles at Kelso and has run well without winning during the current campaign, most recently staying on well under a big weight to finish third in an extended three-mile handicap chase at Carlisle on February 16.
Griffin said: "We are focusing on Aintree with Maggio. If he gets in, he would go for the National but if doesn't he would go for the Topham instead.
"We just have to take it as it comes as to which race he can go for, but Aintree is the plan with him.
"He will love the kind of ground that Aintree will provide. As regards the fences, the hustle and bustle is an unknown quantity. I feel that the horse would jump round and am optimistic that whatever race he gets in, he will deliver.
"The run at Carlisle last time was his first beyond three miles and he really proved that he could stay. Then again, if he gets in the National, it would be going up again in trip and it is anybody's guess if he will stay four and a half miles.
"He is quite a pacey horse and it wouldn't worry me if he had to drop down in trip again for the Topham Chase. It could be up his street."
Other contenders include Darna (Kim Bailey, 14/1), successful in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate at the Cheltenham Festival and The Package (David Pipe, 14/1), successful at the same meeting in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase and also entered in the Crabbie's Grand National.
Splash Of Ginge (Nigel Twiston-Davies, 14/1) was second in Grade One company over hurdles at the 2014 Crabbie's Grand National Festival and is a Grade Three winner over fences at Cheltenham this season, while Peter Bowen, who saddled the only three-time winner of the race in Always Waining (successful in 20110, 2011 and 2012) has two entries including the progressive Letbeso (33/1).
Weights for the Crabbie's Topham Chase will be revealed on Wednesday, April 1.
Crabbie's Topham Steeple Chase - Betfred bet:
12/1 Eastlake, Monetaire, Sound Investment
14/1 Darna, Rebel Rebellion, Ruben Cotter, Savello, Splash Of Ginge, The Package
16/1 Ballynagour, Bennys Mist, Bright New Dawn, Rajdhani Express, Rubi Light, You Must Know Me
20/1 Art Of Logistics, Ballycasey, Bless The Wings, Hunt Ball, Poole Master, Some Tikket, Third Intention, Wonderful Charm
25/1 Ardkilly Witness, Baileys Concerto, Comeonginger, Ely Brown, Golden Hoof, Granville Island, Last Time d'Albain, Loosen My Load, Make A Track, Persian Snow, Rathlin, Rogue Angel, Sa Suffit, Sew On Target, Six Stone Ned, Standing Ovation, Vino Griego, Wings Of Smoke
33/1 Annacotty, Ballygarvey, Bobcatbilly, Fairy Rath, Festive Affair, Galway Jack, Lamboro Lad, Letbeso, Maggio, Majala, Montoya's Son, Renard, Tenor Nivernais, Theatre Guide, Turban, Witness In Court, Your Busy
40/1 Astigos, Deciding Moment, Kings Grey, Up To Something, Upepito, Workbench
50/1 One Term
66/1 Action Master, Settledoutofcourt
1/4 1-2-3-4
Betfred spokesman Andrew Griffiths said: "The Topham is one of the most exciting races of the entire year and the betting is typically open.
"Of the market leaders, Eastlake looks particularly interesting considering he finished third in the race last year."
