Alan Dudman's Big Race Verdict: Back 8/1 Mr Vango to shine in Midlands Grand National

• Ground looking likely as good to soft for Uttoxeter 

• Pace forecast strong and can suit the main selection

• Alan Dudman previews the Midlands National on Saturday 

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Betfair Saturday Horse Racing Superboost

On Thursday, the Betfair Superboost, Fact To File, won the Ryanair Chase in a canter after being boosted to 11/43.75 (won at 6/42.50). On Friday we made it back-to-back Superboost wins as Betfair Ambassador Rachael Blackmore steered Monty's Star home for a top 4 finish in the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup at 1/12.00.

Our hat-trick chasing Saturday Superboost sees Saint Anapolino need to finish in the top 3 in the 14:45 Kempton having finished in the top 3 on his last 6 starts. This has been boosted from 4/61.67 to 1/12.00.

*Please note. This superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our tipsters or writers.

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Dry day forecast for the ITV cameras 

Uttoxeter's big day and usually a raucous crowd akin to the Bernebeau with the noise, awaits on Saturday on the ITV cameras and for those that have enjoyed a profitable Cheltenham no doubt will be be looking to attack the big staying prize with some gusto in traditionally a big betting race.

The Sportsbook are paying five places in terms of any each-way chances and 17 runners were declared with ground conditions set to be on the good side, or at least good to soft minimum with a breezy 8c forecast although an overnight frost.

Usually it's a bog, but conditions alter the thinking for this.

Knockanore the favourite, and rightly so

Few staying handicaps are won in the style of Knockanore's success in the Eider Chase last time. Again, usually the Eider would be in proper soft and heavy but with good to soft conditions, Knockanore absolutely gagged up (the technical term) by a huge 16L.

He beat a progressive horse in O'Connell and that was just the seventh career start for a stayer on the the up. A 10lb rise warrants more improvement, but with the way he just joined in, a new staying career awaits.

All stamina for Mr Vango

Traditionally one of the strongest staying handicaps of the winter season is Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock, and while you need guts and stamina for that, a bit of class is required too and Mr Vango's arc is another of improvement granted staying distances with his win in the north west.

That looked a strong field assembled at Haydock with the second and fourth rated above 150, and the 166-rated and Grade 1 winner Royal Pagaille pulled up in the race after clouting a fence (of course the day I backed him).

Mr Vango's profile suggests he wants it soft and heavy, but he's all stamina and will not be lacking for the 4m2f. He's really thrived this term and it's good to see his third in the National Hunt Chase at the festival last season didn't bottom him, as he's come back with London National and Peter Marsh wins.

He still looks on the right side of the handicapper despite top weight here from 143 and looks ready for this sort of extreme test. Hopefully Haydock hasn't bottomed him either.

Mr Vango is priced at 8/19.00 on the Sportsbook.

Strong challenge from Gordon Elliott

What a poor Cheltenham Festival for Gordon Elliott. So often he sits aside the megaliths of the great game, but as of Friday (before racing), hadn't had a winner in over 40 runners at the home of jumps' racing. The Limerick victories wouldn't have soothed the ills with his big guns defeated while the Uttoxeter party is two-strong.

He does have a big player here in Fortunedefortunata, a fairly experienced hurdler considering his years and he fits into the eight-year-old trend embarking on a season of chasing and this will be just his fifth start over the larger ones.

A winner of the Grand National Trial in Ireland at Punchestown last time and that was a big improvement on anything we had seen prior, I worry if that was a fluke. He almost lost the race with a hefty blunder at the last and was headed, but fought back to defy the in-running price as he hit 24.023/1.

It's another step up in distance and is up 10lb.

Eight-year-olds with a good record in the race

The last two winners provided by Nigel Twiston-Davies and Alan King have both been eight, and seven have won the race from that age group since 2011.

For veterans - and I count 10 and above, a pair of 11-year-olds have popped up in recent times in 2022 (Screaming Colours) and 2018 (Regal Flow). Before that, the last 11-year-old was in the mid-1990s for Philip Hobbs.

Apple Away is a consistent eight-year-old and while second on more than one occasion this term, her mark has actually regressed from 142 to 138, although she returned to form in the Grand National Trial at Haydock last time.

That form is prevalent here with Val Dancer and Galia Des Liteaux both in that Haydock race and are priced here at 9/110.00 and 12/113.00 respectively.

Where does the pace come from?

Tanganyika at 17/29.50 is a most progressive Venetia Williams staying chaser with two from four over fences and a fine win and judged on Carlisle last time, he'll be up with the pace, although it will be his first attempt beyond four miles.

Welsh National winner Val Dancer pretty much made the running in the fog at Christmas time (from what we guessed anyway) and his confirmed stamina should see him force it for Mel Rowley. Apple Away is a prominent racer, likewise Galia Des Liteaux, although she couldn't gain any sort of prominent position in her underwhelming run in the Welsh "Nash".

Egbert, for Alan King, was unlucky in tipping up towards the end of the Eider when in contention for a place on the inside, and judged on Newcastle, is another with prominent racing tactics usually employed.

Sussex National winner Invincible Nao came from off the pace to pick the pocket of Dom Of Mary at Plumpton and is progressing well as a seven-year-old, albeit he needs to improve on his form, and he'll for sure be held up judged on his two wins this season (both HU next to his name) and the yard are finally coming to hand.

Gary and Josh Moore have for the large part been in wretched form this season, but are 11 from 42 at 26% in the last two weeks and one of their runners performed very well at Cheltenham.

Fortunedefortunata was held up off the pace at Punchestown and is another expected to be waited with.

I've not a scooby as to what will happen with Anglers Crag. I fancied him for the Eider and he messed around at the start and was subsequently withdrawn. Brian Ellison's dream was left in tatters as it looked as though his whole prep was based around retaining his crown.

He just needs to behave himself.

Market moves from Friday

Tanganyika was cut from 10/111.00 to 17/29.50 when the Sportsbook went up and Invincible Nao was another trimmed from 16/117.00 into 12/113.00, probably on the back of the stable returning to form.

Passing Well and Saint Davy were both moves from 16s to 14s, and the big each-way runner was Where It All Began - another for Elliott, who was cut from 25/126.00 into 14/115.00.

Big race verdict

The pace is sure to be sound with so many prominent racers, and with that in mind, Mr Vango's stamina can be drawn out as he also likes to be up in the heat of the running.

He sat handy with the lead at Haydock and was pestered throughout, and the cheekpieces in addition to the tongue tie have helped his focus. As a rookie chaser on the up with so much stamina, he might be able to get away with the drier conditions and is well worth a crack at 4m2f. He'll stay and has a bit of class with his backform at Cheltenham.

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Now read more tips and previews ahead of this weekend from Betfair's team of writers here! 

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