'There should be plenty in his favour' - key quotes and analysis for the Eider Chase

Since he finished third in the Badger Beers as a four-year-old, Kitty's Light would have been pegged for the 2023 Grand National. But Christian Williams is not only adept at laying horses out for certain targets, he also has a good feel for identifying the right target.

The chances are Kitty's Light, with a peak Racing Post Rating of 150, would never be good enough to win a Grand National. He is evidently good enough for other major marathons, though, for as well as the Badger Beers he has also been placed in the Scottish National, the Coral Trophy and two bet365 Gold Cups.

You would take short odds that in lieu of Aintree, this weekend had been his big aim all season. On Monday the white smoke seemed to go up as he hardened as favourite for the Eider. Williams had seemingly made his decision, one possibly made easier by stablemate Cap Du Nord's win at Ascot last week.

That success was an emphatic one and it suggested that after a fairly lean season to this point, Williams has brought his string back with a vengeance for the spring marathon handicaps in which he has made his name as a trainer. And it just so happens that Kitty's Light is now 13lb lower in the weights than when he finished third to Hewick in the bet365 at Sandown in April.

In short, Kitty's Light is bordering on a prohibitively priced favourite for the Eider but the bookies are right to be afraid. If you are either price insensitive or the sort of punter inclined to back more than one horse in a race, he needs to be on your side.

The good news for everyone else is that this is a fairly deep Eider and that you can easily get four or even five places each-way in a 15-runner field. Even better news from a personal perspective is that the most interesting rivals to Kitty's Light are not necessarily those closest to him in the betting.

Topweight Eva's Oskar has long looked an Eider type and was not suited by the way the Masters played out last time. Houston Texas has been laid out for this using a similar route to the one used by Nicky Richards with his last winner of this race, Baywing. And Shanty Alley ran two tremendous races to be second twice in December, arguably shaping best in the Mandarin, and blew his chance at the first fence in the Sky Bet.

With these interesting sorts at attractive prices, your approach to the Eider can be determined by your temperament. Kitty's Light is deservedly a clear favourite but it is hard to argue that prices around 5-2 severely underestimate his chances in a deep handicap like this. Those more inclined to take a chance have plenty of options, and a healthy safety net with many firms offering four and five places each-way.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

Big weekend for Geordies

It's a big weekend for Newcastle with their footballers trying to win the first trophy in 68 years in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday and local trainer Ann Hamilton will get the party started early if Bavington Bob can land the marathon Eider Chase at Gosforth Park.

The eight-year-old, who is the mount of champion jockey Brian Hughes, is named after a parish close to Hamilton’s base at Capheaton, north-west of Newcastle.

Bavington Bob is a double course winner but is going into unknown territory never having raced beyond 3m2f. He finished second at Kelso last time and is fitted with blinkers for the first to help extract improvement.

Hamilton said: "It's a big weekend for the north-east all right and hopefully Bavington Bob can run a nice race. We've put blinkers on him for the first time and have the services of Brian Hughes, so there's plenty to like."

What they say

Tim Vaughan, trainer of Eva's Oskar
He needed the run at Sandown last time as he'd not long had a flu vaccination. He has top weight and there could be a few well-handicapped ones in there, but he's been crying out for this trip.

Ben Clarke, trainer of The Galloping Bear
We had him checked out after he fell in the Welsh National but he came back fine and he's a confirmed stayer, which some of them aren't. This is the quickest ground he has encountered but that could work in his favour.

Christian Williams, trainer of Kitty's Light
We're looking forward to running him and just hope that the ground is not too soft. We had a good meeting last year and I would hope there's plenty in his favour this time as well.

Ben Case, trainer of Shanty Alley
We've been wanting to try him over this trip for a while and originally we had hoped to do it at the Winter Million meeting at Lingfield, but it was cancelled. After that we were forced to run him in the Sky Bet Chase, but it was a bit sharp for him and the ground too lively.

Phil Kirby, trainer of Bushypark
He's come into form at the right time but if they don't get any further rain he's an unlikely runner. He needs soft ideally and we'll have a look at it, but if it's genuine good to soft he won't be running.

John Flint, trainer of Amateur
We don't send too many up to Newcastle but we wouldn't be going up there unless we thought he had a realistic chance. He'll enjoy the distance and hopefully be competitive.

Jane Williams, trainer of In Rem
He's a novice and it's his first time at the trip, but we've always thought he wanted this type of distance. He has a nice racing weight and I'm quietly hopeful.

Nicky Richards, trainer of Houston Texas
He's been aimed at the race for a while now and everything has gone to plan. Ideally, he could have done with it being a bit wetter, but if he's up there in the final mile he'll take plenty of beating.
Reporting by David Milnes

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