Panic Attack will look to end her campaign with another huge handicap success in next month's Randox Grand National.
The Dan Skelton-trained mare is guaranteed a run in the April 11 marathon and will line up on the back of a creditable third to Dinoblue in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase at Cheltenham, having won her three previous starts this term.
Having capitalised on a good mark to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup, she followed up under a penalty in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury and it's that staying performance which owner Bryan Drew is clinging to add his 10-year-old gears up for Aintree's four and a quarter-mile test.
Speaking on Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme, Drew said of the National: “It's become a much better race and it's become a race for good horses. I mean, she's just sneaked in off 147 which is a decent mark. As a small owner you always hope to get horses that are rated in the 140s and she's got to 147 having won the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Coral Gold Cup this year. She's only just sneaked in, so that tells you what sort of race it’s become.
“She’s become a good horse as well she was tremendous around Cheltenham, and particularly around Newbury.
“At Cheltenham the ground was probably a little bit softer than ideal and then she was magnificent at Newbury in the Coral Gold Cup, her jumping was perfect she travelled like a dream. She flew over the last, giving it lots of air, and she finished very strongly. You never give up on a nice surprise in racing as she’s by Canford Cliffs, out of a Galileo mare, and Canford Cliffs hasn't really produced any jumpers let alone a jumper that can stay three miles like she did, and it was an absolute joy to watch at Newbury.
“She did it again in the lesser race at Newbury but again she was magnificent and she's in great shape. She's better on good to soft.
“We probably ran her in the wrong race at the Festival. With hindsight we should have run her in the Ultima, she needs a trip now. She ran 10 out of 10 in the mares’ race, but she was just was outpaced at the bottom of the hill and turning in, before running on very strongly, and she probably now wants a trip, three-miles-plus – hopefully four-miles-plus!”
More from Sporting Life
- Free bets
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
