Road to Aintree begins at Chepstow for 'lively character' Walk In The Mill

Many a hurdles debutant has a big-race target at this time of year but few are being primed for the Randox Health Grand National.

Yet that is the target for Walk In The Mill, who has his first run over hurdles at the age of nine at Chepstow (2.40) as part of his build up to Aintree in April.

He won the Becher Chase over the National course last month and trainer Robert Walford said: "I'm not expecting too much but he's full of beans and he could do with a run.

Watch Walk In The Mill win the Becher Chase

"He's quite a lively character and if we take him to the races he's a bit easier to train. He needs to be doing something, we might do the same in February.

"We don't want to run over fences until the weights for the National come out because if he goes down in the handicap he might not get a run and if he goes up he'd have too much weight."

Walk In The Mill, who is owned by Baroness Harding, is a best-priced 33-1 for the National and Walford said: "He obviously liked the fences at Aintree but the National is a lottery – you can have the best horse in the race and be brought down at the first, can't you?"

Hathal bids for overdue success

The new year brings an opportunity for the dropped-in-grade Hathal to land a first victory in 28 months in the Betway Conditions Stakes (6.45) at Wolverhampton.

His last win came in a Group 3 contest at Haydock in September 2016 and he was placed in Group 2 company the following season.

The seven-year-old was placed in Listed contests at Kempton and Deauville late last year and is well treated in this £19,000 conditions event as he escapes any penalty.

Hathal (second from the right) bids for his first win since this Haydock success in September 2016Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"It's hard to find races you realistically think he could win and this looks like an opportunity for him," said trainer Jamie Osborne.

"Hathal is a genuine old horse. He ran creditably in France last time but the seven and a half furlongs was a little bit on the sharp side for him. He's been over this trip before and I have no doubt he'll get it.

"He's always preferred soft turf but all-weather surfaces are fine for him."

Two left in Kilmany Cup

When everyone else is offering your main selling point you may well find customers hard to come by.

Dry weather has made for faster conditions nationwide and only 37 horses have been declared for a six-race card at Musselburgh, which usually provides a bolthole for good-ground jumpers through a muddy winter.

Just two runners tackle the £15,000 Betway Kilmany Cup Handicap Chase (12.50) and clerk of the course Harriet Graham said: "It's disappointing because it was fairly decent prize-money.

"It's probably because there have been no abandonments and there has been quite a lot of good ground on offer, which we usually offer while other courses don't.

Harriet Graham: disappointed by feature-race turnoutCredit: JOHN GROSSICK (racingpost.com/photos)

"And there aren't that many two-mile chasers around, it seems a weak area among horses in training at the moment."

The pair taking part are Chain Of Beacons, trained by Katie Scott in the Borders, and Ontopoftheworld, who makes the near-400-mile trip from Peter Bowen's Pembrokeshire yard after finishing second at Wincanton on Boxing Day.

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