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| Aintree Grand National Meeting 2010 |
Grand National Hero to Revert to Timber
10/12/09
The 2009 Aintree Grand National winner Mon Mome, looks set to continue his build-up to defending his title in April by taking the unorthodox route of running over hurdles this weekend in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, writes Elliot Slater
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Venetia Williams' stable star ran well for a long way on his seasonal reappearance in Newbury's Hennessey Gold Cup a fortnight ago before he was pulled up four from home as lack of condition took its toll. Now rated 161 over fences, the nine-year-old is proving difficult to place in handicaps, so Williams is looking at other ways to keep the gelding fit and active before he takes his chance again in the world's greatest steeplechase.
Williams' method has proved successful with many smart steeplechasers in the past. Running over hurdles can put an edge on a chaser whilst invariably allowing them to run off a mark significantly lower than their rating over the larger obstacles. Many bookmakers and punters alike don't take chasers seriously running over hurdles, but there have been a number of occasions when big price winners have occurred.
Coombes Ditch was a great steeplechaser of the 1980s who had been off the track after injury and whose trainer David Elsworth decided needed to have a run prior to competing in the King George VI Chase at Kempton's Boxing Day fixture. He chose to run the horse in a three-mile handicap hurdle off a relative featherweight (the horse was rated many pounds lower over hurdles than fences) and, thinking he was on holiday with such an insignificant burden, Coombes Ditch duly romped home at 25/1.
I'm not saying for a moment that this will happen with Mon Mome – he has far less pace than Elsworth's old warrior – but there is every reason to believe he might acquit himself well and take another step in the right direction before returning to take on the challenge of the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow towards the end of the month.
