Sam Waley-Cohen will bid to add to Topham haul with Theatre Territory

Amateur Sam Waley-Cohen will bid to enhance his outstanding record over the Grand National fences when he partners Theatre Territory for Warren Greatrex in the Randox Health Topham Chase next month.

One of 79 entries revealed for the £140,000 contest on Wednesday, Theatre Territory was last seen in action when third to Master Dee in the Betdaq Handicap Chase at Kempton last month.

Waley-Cohen has won the Topham twice courtesy of Liberthine (2006) and Rajdhani Express (2015), as well as the Foxhunters’ Chase three times, and his father Robert, who owns Theatre Territory, said: "The Topham is absolutely the target for Theatre Territory.

"I've been extremely pleased with her campaign so far. She was always likely to be a really good chaser and has run some fantastic races this season. I know Sam is looking forward to riding her at Aintree. She jumps well and I don't see any reason why she shouldn't go there.”

Last year’s 50-1 winner Ultragold, who confirmed his love of the big fences by finishing second in the Grand Sefton Chase in December, is also on course for the race.

As expected, the 38 entries for the Randox Health Foxhunters’ do not include Pacha Du Polder, who has been a regular in the race for three years and finished runner-up to On The Fringe in 2015.

In the wake of the 11-year-old winning the Foxhunter at Cheltenham last Friday for the second successive year, trainer Paul Nicholls said on his website: “We’re keen for Pacha to try for the hat-trick next year. So he’ll miss the rest of the season, then have a spell hunting next winter and one run before returning to Cheltenham.”

Nicholls does, however, have three Foxhunters’ entries this year in Wonderful Charm, Virak and Unioniste.

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