UTTOXETER

IT is safe to assume Colin Tizzard will never forget the events of Cheltenham week 2016.

Thistlecrack’s dazzling display in the World Hurdle was followed by Cue Card’s uncharacteristic (and some would say wholly unnecessary) fall in the Gold Cup and then, to add insult to injury, Golden Chieftain came down at the last in Saturday’s Betfred Midlands Grand National with the race at his mercy.

16/1 shot Firebird Flyer took full advantage, holding Milansbar by two lengths with Cogry and Spookydooky next.

Given Cue Card’s questionable stamina, Paddy Brennan’s sudden decision to drive him between horses three out – he would have landed just about in front – seemed strange to some.

If Brendan Powell can take some small consolation from last week’s Uttoxeter mishap it will be in the knowledge that he asked for nothing special at all, merely the same sort of leap that Golden Chieftain, seven lengths clear, had produced 23 times. Sadly, although he took the fence in his stride, he twisted in mid-air and knuckled over on landing. Happily, horse and rider were unhurt.

Evan Williams’ Firebird Flyer, a big price for a horse which had finished second in the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow, admittedly in deep ground, progressed from midfield at much the same time as his unfortunate rival. He was second two out as Golden Chieftain started to pull clear and kept on stoutly to land the first prize of nearly £74,000.

BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

The big disappointment was Tom Dreaper’s 5/1 favourite Sizing Coal, who never looked like mounting a challenge and was finally pulled up before three out.

On ground no worse than soft, and better than that in places, only five of the 18 starters saw out the extended four-mile trip, lending further support to the theory that the breed is not as strong as it was. The winning time was nearly 42 seconds slower than standard.

None of that takes anything away from Firebird Flyer, who was giving his Vale Of Glamorgan-based trainer another long distance victory and jockey Adam Wedge his biggest success to date.

“He really wants it bottomless but he jumped and popped his fences really well,” Wedge said. “It was the luck of the draw for me but very bad luck for Brendan, as his horse would definitely have won.”

The jockey has no doubt at all that Firebird Flyer would need soft ground at Aintree and Paddy Power left him on 40/1 for the Crabbie’s Grand National.