Heavy ground key to Mr Vango’s Haydock hopes

Sara Bradstock is eyeing typically attritional Haydock ground ahead of Mr Vango’s return to action in Saturday’s Sky Bet Peter Marsh Handicap Chase.

The nine-year-old notched the third victory of his career in Sandown’s London National early last month, a victory that put him in line for a shot at the Welsh Grand National over the Christmas period.

Given extra time to recover from his Sandown exertions, he bypassed Chepstow’s festive feature which was this year run on ground better than usual, with Warwick’s Classic Chase soon highlighted as the new target for the lightly-raced stayer.

However, this time it was the early January cold snap that intervened and with the Classic Chase lost to the elements, a trip to Haydock is seen as the only real option in the coming weeks by connections.

Bradstock said: “It really is a case of if the weather plays ball, because the Classic Chase looked a good opportunity for him on what was going to be heavy ground. It’s disappointing they didn’t reschedule it and if they had taken it to Ffos Las, I would have been inclined.

“We’ve given him the entry at Haydock and obviously three miles would be a little bit short for him, so it would want to be heavy. Dan (Cooper, Haydock clerk of the course) is quite confident that is what it is going to be, so I think that’s the plan really.

“He does want it heavy otherwise three miles is too short, he has to have a test of stamina. There isn’t really anything for him now until the Edinburgh National (at Musselburgh, February 2) which is unlikely to be very soft ground.

“Just niggling little things have kept him off, he just wasn’t quite over Sandown for the Welsh Grand National, but then the ground would have been too quick anyway. Then we got the ground we wanted for the Classic Chase but it was abandoned – it’s been extremely annoying, but that’s life.”

While the current weather may be causing Bradstock some headaches, the hope of a wet spring is leaving the Wantage handler clinging to her dream of a Grand National tilt in early April.

“Hopefully there will be a very wet spring and that could be to Mr Vango’s liking,” continued Bradstock.

“Plans will all depend on what happens at the weekend and if he was to go up in the handicap. I would give him an entry in the National but I wouldn’t run him unless it was heavy, otherwise he might end up in the Midlands Grand National.

“I would have him in at Aintree just in case you get Red Marauder-type of ground and they do have to keep it safe, so if there is a downpour you never know. But he is an old-fashioned National horse and the race might be a bit fast and furious for him these days.”