Trainer Neil Mulholland
believes his stable star Midnight Chase is as good as ever as he
prepares the 10-year-old's seasonal return in the £100,000 bet365 Charlie Hall
Chase at Wetherby on Saturday, November 3, 2012.
Midnight Chase gained the
biggest victory of his career last season when making all the running to win
the Group Two Argento Chase at Cheltenham in January and was subsequently
seventh in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
He had previously finished
third under top-weight in the Grade Three Betfair. Don't Settle For Less
Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day after falling at Down
Royal on his seasonal reappearance.
Mulholland, who trains
near Bath, said: "Midnight Chase is hopefully going to run in the bet365
Charlie Hall Chase. I am delighted with him. He is in great form and looks as
good as ever.
"We targeted the
Argento Chase last season and we won it so that was great and he was also third
in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby which was a creditable performance.
"He seems as good as
he was before he won the Argento and he worked well at the weekend. The Argento
is the big aim for him again this season but he will be fit and ready for the
Charlie Hall Chase because he is a lot further forward this year than he was
last year. If he gets the right ground, he will run a big race.
"I would have to
speak to Lady Clarke (owner) about the plan in between the Charlie Hall Chase
and the Argento Chase, but the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas could
be a strong possibility.
"I'm not going to
campaign him that hard because the Argento took its toll on us in the Gold Cup
last year, so this year I'd rather go Charlie Hall, Argento and then try and
get to Cheltenham but we could also go to the Charlie Hall, Leopardstown,
Argento and then miss Cheltenham and Aintree.
"You might only see
him three or four times this season but he will be ready to rock and roll when
he runs."
Run over three miles and a
furlong, the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase has a fine roll of honour which includes
Wayward Lad (1983 & 1985), Burrough Hill Lad (1984), Forgive 'n Forget
(1986), Barton Bank (1993 & 1995), One Man (1996 & 1997), See More
Business (1999 & 2000) and Our Vic (2006).
Last year the contest was
won in great fashion by Weird Al and his trainer Donald McCain has
indicated the lightly-raced nine-year-old will begin his campaign in the Grade
Two again this season.
An exciting seven-race
card at Wetherby on bet365 Charlie Hall Chase Day also features the £32,000
Grade Two John Smith's Hurdle and the three mile and one furlong contest is an
ideal starting point for some of the country's top staying hurdlers.
The race has been won by
subsequent Aintree Hurdle scorer Pridwell (1997), three-time World Hurdle
scorer Inglis Drever (2005) and top-class stayer Black Jack Ketchum (2007).
Racing starts at 12.35pm that day.
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