22.10.10 - RACING AT AINTREE

Watch My Back among six in fantastic totetentofollow Old Roan Chase

Ferdy Murphy is looking forward to running Watch My Back in a superb renewal of the £60,000 Grade Two totetentofollow Old Roan Chase (3.25pm) at Aintree tomorrow, Saturday, October 23, but is realistic about the task his talented charge faces according to official ratings.

The nine-year-old finds himself allotted the minimum weight of 10st 4lb, making him  4lb wrong at the weights in the prestigious two and half mile limited handicap, with top-weight Albertas Run carrying 11st 10lb.

Murphy revealed today: “It’s unfortunate for me that the top-weight runs, although it’s great for Aintree to have such quality in the race. There aren’t many opportunities for horses like Watch My Back (officially rated 142) so we thought, rather than run him under top-weight in an ordinary handicap, we would sooner take this opportunity. It’s a nice race to get him back out on the track and get a nice run into him to start the season.”

Watch My Back only raced four times last term, his best effort being an impressive victory in a two-mile, three-furlong handicap chase at Doncaster in December, but was unfortunate thereafter. The gelding was hampered and beaten at the Cheltenham Festival in March, and failed to complete at Aintree’s John Smith’s Grand National Meeting in April

The North Yorkshire handler continued: “He is a nice sort of horse and if we get things done right with him this year, there’s probably a nice prize in him.

“He injured himself in his last race at Aintree. He made a hash of the second-last but he has recovered miraculously. He has had a really good summer out at grass and we are looking forward to running him.

“We will think about the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November afterwards, but we will see how he runs tomorrow.”

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained Albertas Run, with Tony McCoy again in the saddle on Saturday, had Monet’s Garden in third when winning the Grade One John Smith’s Melling Chase over the course and distance in April, having previously annexed the Grade One Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

Monet’s Garden, the mount of Dougie Costello for the first time, is one of Jump racing’s old favourites and the Nicky Richards-trained 12-year-old will attempt to add to his previous totetentofollow Old Roan Chase wins achieved in 2007 and 2009. The grey defeated Albertas Run when winning the Grade One Betfair Ascot Chase in February.

Also among the six declared runners for the fantastic contest is the Paul Nicholls-trained Poquelin, who will be ridden by Barry Geraghty. The seven-year-old landed the Grade Thee Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham in December before finishing runner-up to Albertas Run in the Grade One Ryanair Chase there in March, but was well-beaten when unseating Ruby Walsh in the Grade One John Smith’s Melling Chase.

Tartak was fourth in the John Smith’s Melling Chase in April but scored over the course and distance as a novice when winning the Grade Two John Smith’s Manifesto Novices’ Chase. The field is completed by the David Pipe-trained I’msingingtheblues.

Saturday’s seven-race card also features the £25,000 totetentofollow.co.uk Veterans’ Handicap Chase (4.35pm) and the 13 declarations for the three mile, one furlong contest include the John Quinn-trained Character Building, who was seventh behind Don’t Push It in this year’s John Smith’s Grand National, as well as 2009 John Smith’s Topham Chase winner Irish Raptor from the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard.

The action gets underway with the extended two-mile £14,000 toteplacepot Handicap Hurdle (2.10pm), and the 16 declared runners include joint top-weights, the Alan King-trained Mille Chief and the Charles Egerton-trained Westlin’ Winds, as well as Kauto Star’s half-brother Kauto Relko, who makes his first start for new trainer Rachel Hobbs.

A fascinating quartet has been declared for the two-mile toteexacta Flexi Betting Novices’ Chase (5.10pm), including the high-class hurdler Medermit from King’s yard and the O’Neill-trained Rock Noir, a Grade One winner over hurdles in France.

Aintree also races on Sunday, October 24, when the six-race card is headed by the £15,000 Weatherbys Bank Handicap Chase (for the John Parrett Memorial Trophy) (3.55pm). Racing kicks off at 2.10pm with the Halloween At Matalan Introductory Juvenile Hurdle, for which a field of 10 includes the current ante-post favourite for next year’s Triumph Hurdle, Franklino, from the King stable.

Full ticket details for the weekend’s racing are available at www.aintree.co.uk.

On Sunday, the grown ups can enjoy the day’s exciting races, while the little devils prepare for Halloween with an action-packed day full of FREE entertainment, including mad science shows and experiments, magician and free face painting, kids and adults’ fancy dress competition, pony rides and grooming plus much, much more.

Accompanied children aged under 17 gain FREE admission on both days, while there is also FREE car parking at the course.