Can the old boy do it again? 13-year-old Blaklion bids for fourth course win

Wednesday: 3.07 Haydock
Jewson Widnes Veterans' Handicap Chase (Leg 12 Of The Veterans' Chase Series) | 3m1½f | 10yo+ | RTV

Twelve months ago Blaklion went around on springs to land this veterans' event off a mark of 131 and he returns a year on racing off a 5lb higher mark as a 13-year-old. Can he turn back the clock?

He is handicapped to do so provided the passage of time hasn't taken its toll, because he won a handicap chase by 28 lengths off this mark last December. However, both of his last two wins at this course came on genuinely heavy ground and it won't be as soft this time.

Conditions are drying at Haydock so it might not be worse than good to soft, and there may be one or two with a bit more speed should the ground ride as expected.

Two of the ten-year-olds in the race, Coo Star Sivola and Chambard, fit the bill on that score and Chambard was last seen winning the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival.

Chambard competes of a career-high BHA rating, while Coo Star Sivola debuts for Venetia Williams after a 595-day absence. Williams has had four stable debutants return from at least 500 days off this decade and all were beaten, and she is just 1-16 in that period with horses running after at least that long off the track.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

Venetia Williams: runs both Chambard and Coo Star Sivola and both can go wellCredit: Edward Whitaker

What they say

Dan Skelton, trainer of Blaklion
His comeback run at Bangor was underwhelming, but it was the same last season. He won this race last year and if we could win one of these races with a 13-year-old it would be a very good achievement. He doesn't look like an old horse at home.

James Moffatt, trainer of Burbank
He runs well fresh so he has plenty going for him. I schooled him myself the other day and he was class as he always is. He'll enjoy the ground as it doesn't look as if it's going to be a slog, but it just depends on what is going on between his ears. Like many in the race he's forgotten more that I will ever know.

Nicky Martin, trainer of The Two Amigos
We hope the ground doesn't dry out too much as he really wants it soft or heavy to show his best form. When he ran back at Sedgefield the ground was too quick for him and he came back rather unwell. He's in better shape now and is running in a race where the others have the same aged legs as him.

Alan O'Keeffe, spokesman for Jennie Candlish, trainer of Fortified Bay
He's had a lot of time off but enjoys Haydock and hopefully he can run a nice race back. Whatever he achieves here he will improve on and there is a nice programme of these races going forward.

Nick Alexander, trainer of Up Helly Aa King
He finished fourth in the race last year and then went on to win at Doncaster so it's a series he likes. He ran back in a very competitive race at Kelso where he made a mistake late on so we're hopeful. Blaklion could be the one to beat as he looks to have got himself quite well handicapped.

Richard Hobson, trainer of Saint Xavier
He blew up at Cheltenham first time back but has a nice racing weight and we expect a nice run.
Reporting by David Milnes

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