Lucinda Russell’s Apple Away looks to round off her season with a win in the Robertson Homes Fair Maid Of Perth Mares’ Chase at Perth.
A Grade One winner over hurdles for owners Old Gold Racing, this term she has turned her hand to chasing without quite matching that success.
Placed in graded races at Warwick and Ascot, she ran well for a long way at Cheltenham before ultimately failing to see out the trip in the National Hunt Chase.
A mixed chasing and hurdling campaign awaits the mare next season, but first she will wrap up the term at Listed level over fences at Perth.
“After Cheltenham she got so cocky again so quickly up in Scotland that Lucinda suddenly said it wasn’t right to put her away,” said Ed Seyfried of Old Gold Racing.
“There was talk of sending her hurdling and we had entries in the both the Liverpool Hurdle and the handicap hurdle on Grand National day, but they were both very competitive and we felt if we were going to reintroduce her to hurdles, we didn’t want to throw her in at the deep end.
“This race is a very nice way to round off the season, it’s competitive and we’re the second or third favourite – that’s probably about right.
“She ran her heart out at Cheltenham, she is so brave and genuine, but stepping her up in trip wasn’t the right thing to do that day.”
Gavin Cromwell’s Malina Girl just failed to make the cut for the Grand National and has been diverted to this contest, where she leads a three-strong Irish challenge in a field of six.
The seven-year-old was last seen over hurdles ahead of her intended National tilt, having won at Cheltenham in November.
“Obviously she didn’t get into the National, which was disappointing, but she seems in good nick and she should hopefully run a good race,” Cromwell said.
“She was over there and ready to go, which is not ideal, she’d travelled over and back and then travelled to Perth.
“She seems in good order though, and she takes everything in her stride so she should be fine.”
The Irish team is boosted by Gordon Elliott’s Riviere D’Etel and Willie Mullins’ Instit, the latter of whom will be vying to add the £18,509 prize to her trainer’s British haul this season.
Mullins currently heads the British jumps trainers’ championship ahead of Dan Skelton and has a significant advantage ahead of the season finale at Sandown at the weekend, with the Perth prize a welcome boost with that aim in mind.
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