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WELL, following the razzle dazzle of the Cheltenham Festival last week, we return to the Saturday features with the Midlands Grand National Handicap Chase (Uttoxeter, 3.00) being the main betting event of the day.

It is quite an unusual renewal of this lung-bursting event with the ground very different from recent years with a heavy surface over this four-and-a-quarter miles set to be replaced by good to soft going. So the usual bottomless sloggers need not apply and I fancy that Mr Vango and Iron Bridge may not even start if the ground dries out further.

The recent Eider Chase winner Knockanore has 10lbs extra to carry here, but bolted up at the Gosforth Park track and is rightly respected as he remains unexposed over a marathon trip. However, he is up against better horses here and the unexposed IOUPY COLLONGES could be the each-way call. Paul Nicholls has been waiting for decent ground for his charge and he could be nicely treated here off just 126.

His form on ground good to soft or better reads 3121P21 with a chase record of two wins from six starts and three placings to boot.

The selections’ most recent run was a fair second of six to Pedley Wood on quite deep and sticky ground at Wincanton, which can be marked up and off his light weight here off a mark of 126 he seemingly has loads of room to improve. Of his other rivals I have most regard for Egbert (first time cheek pieces on here) and fellow light weight Passing Away. The last named was beaten some 19.5 lengths at Newcastle and is now some 11lbs better off with that easy winner here.

The opening race at 1.50 looks very competitive and I only got my short list down to four! Judged on his run at Ascot, the handicapper may finally have caught up with Jilaijone and he will have to give lumps of weight away to NOWMELAD. The selection has been crying out for a return to a sound surface and with 10lbs conditional Oliver Boyden on board, he is fully 12lbs lower than his last run at Catterick and I find it hard to see him out of the frame at the very least.

Guard Duty continues in a rich vein of form and even a 10lbs penalty for his smooth Newbury win may not be enough to stop him landing the hat-trick here. However, I marginally prefer the claims of SAMUEL SPADE in the 2.25 who was hugely impressive when dotting up at Ascot. That was only his second start over three miles and there looks to be plenty more left in the locker if Callum Pritchard can get him anchored in rear. He just pottered around and jumped soundly last time out before making stealthy headway from three out before bounding clear down the home stretch.

Stans The Man keeps on being held back by his sometimes moderate jumping, but a clear round will surely see him involved here, while top weight Deafening Silence looks competitive off 133. In the end I have sided with HIGH TREASON (3.35) who comes here following a wind op and his breeding suggests this trip is exactly what he wants while the better ground shouldn’t be an issue either.

Over at Kempton Park the ground is likely to be even quicker than at Uttoxeter and that will suit many of the runners in the handicaps that bypassed the Cheltenham Festival none more so than FIRST STREET (2.10). He was due run in the County Hurdle but will instead try to open his account over fences at the fifth time of asking. Following a wind op his run behind Leader In The Park here was a step forward and on his favoured ground he should have too many guns for Asta La Pasta who has to give him weight.

With my first choice Aston Martini side stepped to Cheltenham I am happy to row in with WEST BALBOA (2.45) in the two mile and five furlongs of the Handicap Hurdle as she continues to fall down the weights. With her 7lbs conditional it means that her new mark is right down to 129, its lowest since December 2022. Since then she has won off 135 and 142 and placed in the grade three handicap hurdle at Aintree last year.

She was badly hampered in her last race when fourth of sixth at Warwick in a Listed contest and despite top weight, this looks a much easier assignment.

Second in this race last year off an inflated mark of 140, course specialist FLEGMATIK (nap) (3.20) now finds himself down to a rating of 127. Young Tristan Durrell has ridden him to good effect in the past and he looks set to take the scalps of fellow course and distance winner Bad and the consistent Bourbali. Good ground is hugely in his favour and I shall be hugely disappointed if he doesn’t make a big impact here.

Elsewhere today I will also be having an interest in JET OF DREAMS (2.02 Newcastle) and HALFWAY HOUSE LAD in the staying handicap chase at 4.22.

Under the lights at Wolverhampton it may be worth having a second look at GENERAL ASSEMBLY who is too well handicapped to ignore off top weight in the five furlong handicap at 6.00. He ran well at Newcastle last time out when not getting the best of runs, but this formerly rated 80 speedster remains lightly raced and off 67 here looks absolutely thrown in at the weights in this drop in class.