
Eider Chase Tips: Flower Of Scotland To Bloom at Newcastle

One of the toughest tests of staying chasers every season is the Eider Chase, and this season's renewal promises to be no exception. Billy Grimshaw is sceptical we will see even half this field finish, and as such is incredibly sweet on backing a dour stayer with assured stamina each-way...
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The ground is heavy. The trip is four miles plus. This is not going to be a pretty watch at Newcastle and it will certainly not be the race for plenty of horses who are not out and out marathon lovers. Anglers Crag heads the market and looks one of the most progressive runners in here, having been reborn since leaving David Pipe for Brian Ellison. He has racked up a hat-trick of staying handicap wins and still looks on a fair mark. I would however worry about his suitability for this sort of slog, with his wins coming on good to soft and over around 3 miles each time. On breeding he should stay and he has never shown any remote stamina doubts, but for a race as gruelling as this I want something that has been there, done that and worn the T shirt.
The Galloping Bear certainly fits the bill and he was one I came close to putting up after his fine second in this race last season to the high class Kitty's Light. The factor which put me off him, however has been his poor form this year. He is eleven now and once the fire stops burning quite as brightly it can be hard to bounce back. If he runs the race he did last year he may well win, but if he doesn't quite fancy this sort of test anymore it will be apparent early and he will lose all chance.
Tommie Beau is one I'd be confident he will stay the trip providing he has no mishaps, with ample National experience in his locker. The trouble is with Seamus Mullins' charge, he is giving weight away all round here and on ground as tough as this will be to paddle through he is going to have to put in a herculean effort to claim glory. Major Dundee certainly has it in him to go the distance here, having won a Midlands National on soft last year, but he has run two abject races the last twice and that would make it hard to fancy him here with plenty of weight to carry himself.
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There are a fair few progressive types in here who may not have proven their stamina but could yet do so, starting with Sam England's Fenland Tiger. He won as he liked at this track last time out to make it 3 out of 4 wins over the larger obstacles and he looks every inch a staying chaser. This will test his stamina further than it has ever been tested before, however he looks the type to relish it. A similar story applies to Gold Clermont, who has a lightweight just like Fenland Tiger and is a proven mudlark. He also comes here off the back of a career best at Fontwell last time out so must be in fine fettle, and I'd be surprised were he to not see out the trip.
Christopher Wood looked exciting at one point but is treading water somewhat these days and I wouldn't want him onside for a marathon test like this, while Cruz Control is a perplexing entry and surely will not stay considering all his form is over two and a half. There are others in the field who either won't stay or simply aren't good enough, but the horse I am sweetest on and will be staggered to see out of the frame is FLOWER OF SCOTLAND.
She was available at much bigger prices earlier in the week - I've missed them too, don't worry - but the 6/1 each-way CopyBet are offering right now is still very fair on the back of her Border Nationals win last season at Kelso. She backed that up with a fair third in the Edinburgh National, and perversely a race like that which is renowned as a test of stamina was not testing enough for her, as she did all her best work late. She stays longer than the mother in law and this will be the toughest test of stamina we will see all season, so if she has shaken off a flop at Carlisle last time out she has to be in the mix. A further feather in her cap is the revival in the form of her handler Sandy Thomson, who is having a fantastic February. He knows how to train these hardy stayers and with a featherweight to carry she is my idea of the winner and an each-way no brainer.