'All roads lead to America' - Global Citizen warms up for States adventure

Monday: 2.05 Worcester
Worthington's Pre-Training Handicap Chase | 2m½f, 4yo+ | Sky

Ben Pauling has enjoyed a cracking start to the season with 25 winners on the board already, just eight fewer than he sent out during the whole of 2020-21, and his stable star Global Citizen – last seen when landing the Grand Annual at Cheltenham in March – resumes off a 7lb higher mark here.

He beat Andy Dufresne with a bit in hand in the Grand Annual and was rated a Champion Hurdle horse during his younger days.

Winner of a Worcester bumper on his first start in Britain in 2017, Global Citizen holds a significant class edge over his seven rivals.

However, there is strength in depth to what is a really interesting 2m handicap chase for the time of year.

Clear The Runway, the mount of champion jockey Brian Hughes, has thrived in 2022, winning six times, including at Cartmel last time by half a length from Dr Sanderson.

A 6lb rise means this is unquestionably Clear The Runway's sternest task to date, but his rate of improvement has been so rapid that 135 may not prove to be his ceiling.

Bathiva bled after winning a novice hurdle at Southwell in July but came out a fortnight later at Worcester and thumped Elios D'Or by seven and a half lengths in a handicap chase.

When the claims by the two jockeys are taken into account, Elios D'Or reopposes on 1lb worse terms, and Bathiva should be able to confirm his superiority.

Last year's winner Leapaway is now 5lb higher in the weights and a better each-way proposition might be Lermoos Legend, generally progressive this summer and far better than his last-time-out Cartmel performance suggests.
Analysis by Richard Birch

Clear The Runway (right), winner of six of his 12 races, heads to WorcesterCredit: John Grossick

What they say

Ben Pauling, trainer of Global Citizen
He finished last season in great shape and all roads lead to the American Grand National on October 15, so we wanted to get a prep run in for that. He should be fit enough to do himself justice but there is improvement in him.

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Bathiva
He disappointed last time after making a bad mistake. Hopefully he'll bounce back. He likes Worcester and we're taking 7lb off him, so hopefully Jack Hogan will get on well with him. He's been a great servant and is off a career-high mark now.

Robert Walford, trainer of Elios D'Or
He's in good form but I don't think he'll be good enough to win. It's a more competitive race than last time, where he ran well, but we're running out of options and it'll probably be his last run of the season.
Reporting by Maddy Playle

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