'We've had this race in mind for him' - can Jacks Parrot gain back-to-back wins at the Perth festival in Highland National?

The major differences between the Highland National and Saturday's bet365 Gold Cup are the quality of runners and the ground conditions.

The going at Sandown on the last day of the season is usually good nowadays. Meanwhile, 70 per cent of meetings at Perth, which races only between April and September, have the word 'soft' in the going description.

On the quality point, the topweight at Perth would have been out of the handicap at Sandown seven times out of nine in the last decade. The Highland National is a whole league, if not more, below Premier handicaps.

The best pieces of form on offer are not even from Premier handicaps, although the Tommy Whittle and Edinburgh National both have that sort of renown. Jacks Parrot's second in the former race, when he shaped best by clear water, is the strongest single piece of recent form. Whether it is recent enough is the question. He has twice tried and failed to build on it.

Inis Oirr was backed into favouritism for the Edinburgh National but departed at the first. He has done his best work on right-handed tracks away from the mud and has more quality than his current handicap mark would imply.

It would be rare for a former winner of a race to be overlooked, but that may be the case here with If Not For Dylan. He was a surprise winner in 2023 and missed 18 months afterwards. The result is that he remains unexposed for a ten-year-old. 

If Not For Dylan's win at Newcastle last time was quietly good form. He beat Choosethenews, Lord Roco and Jacks Parrot. Choosethenews and Lord Roco both ran in the Eider, going off 5-1 favourite and 8-1. Neither quite lived up to their SPs, but Choosethenews was fifth and Lord Roco was making minor headway when unseating four out. 

The Eider is not a Premier handicap. Yet if you can beat horses who prove competitive in that race, you deserve plenty of respect in the Highland National. Especially if you have won it before.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

If Not For Dylan (right) lands the Highland National two years ago, but he may have been overlooked this timeCredit: John Grossick

What they say

Josh Guerriero, joint-trainer of Jacks Parrot
He won at this meeting last year and we’ve had this race in mind for him. He stays the trip well, and while he would prefer the ground softer, he should be fine on this slightly better surface. He has run well in defeat this season and was unlucky not to win the Tommy Whittle at Haydock. We’re hopeful there’s a nice race in him.

John McConnell, trainer of Bodhisattva
He’s been running consistently enough without getting his head in front. He ran another nice race in the Ulster National and this is a drop in grade so we’re hopeful of a good run. His handicap mark is fair enough and he should be able to be competitive off it.

Micky Hammond, trainer of Shighness
She's not had her ground through the winter but ran well at Hexham on slightly better going last time and she's unexposed over these kind of trips. She stays well and hopefully the ground will be ideal. It's a race we've had in mind for her for a while.

Ewan Whillans, trainer of Prince Des Fichaux
If he got back to his Eider form, and gets in a rhythm near the front end, he’d have an each-way chance. He has come on for the run at Kelso where the ground was too quick for him. I'm hoping the ground stays on the easy side as the softer, the better for him. He didn’t jump great with a visor this season so we’re switching back to blinkers. Sean [Quinlan] felt chopping and changing with the headgear would help pique his interest.

Peter Bowen, joint-trainer of Fairlawn Flyer
It’s taken him a few runs to get back to form after a layoff but he’s been good the last twice. He won around Perth over hurdles and I’m hopeful he can go well.
Reporting by Jack Haynes

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