'He's phenomenal' - old warrior Blaklion stirs dreams of a return to Aintree

Thursday: Haydock

Out with the old, in with the new – unless you're talking about Blaklion. The veteran chaser will be 13 on New Year's Day but you would never have thought so by the way he sauntered home in the 3m4½f handicap chase named after The Last Fling.

Having won a veterans' chase here at the start of the month, Blaklion returned to show some younger rivals the way to do it – by some 28 lengths – to delight his connections once more.

Trainer Dan Skelton has had a productive festive period but nothing gave him greater satisfaction than this new lease of life for the 2016 RSA Chase winner.

"The horse is a credit to himself, he flies around the place – he's phenomenal. It's remarkable how he's still doing it," Skelton said.

Blaklion's career has been interrupted by injuries, but he showed plenty of his old zest to finish sixth in last season's Grand National.

He raced off a mark of 145 last April but won this off 136, so connections face a nervous wait over a return to Aintree.

"When the Grand National weights come out the handicapper then has to frame it the way he wants and I would hope he'd put a horse like Blaklion, the first British horse in it last season, in the 'hope to get in category'," Skelton said.

Blaklion was bought for £300,000 by Darren Yates as a National contender in early 2019 and the owner said: "He's the best horse I've had and will ever have – he's just amazing. When he ran first time at Ascot after two years out [in October 2020] and got injured, we thought he was done and Dan's done an amazing job with him.

Darren Yates ( left) celebrates with Harry Skelton after the 11th victory of Blaklion's careerCredit: Grossick Racing

"I don't think the horse got the credit he deserved for his National run last season and he'll be going there a better horse this time – I'm just praying we get in."

Mint revels in testing conditions

The day did not start so well for the Blaklion team as Ashtown Lad looked set for victory in the 2m6f novice handicap chase only to be overhauled late by Mint Condition.

The Jennie Candlish-trained winner, who was just denied on his chase debut at the track 29 days earlier, was a smart hurdler and could have a bright future over fences.

"He ran a blinder first time out here over fences and I think he could develop into a Welsh National horse in time," said Candlish's assistant and partner Alan O'Keeffe.

"He's a nice horse, who loves these conditions, and we've brought him along nicely and he won't be overfaced."

Mint Condition outpoints Ashtown Lad in the 2m6f novice handicap chaseCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

O'Keeffe breathed a sigh of relief at the yard's first winner in December.

"Someone rang me last night and said we'd had nine seconds in the last four weeks," he said. "If they're running like that they'll win races, if they're pulled up they won't win anything. You have to be patient and keep going."

More McCain talents emerge

Donald McCain has an exciting team of young horses for 2022 and Jungle Jack and Forpaddytheplumber put themselves in that category with wins in the novice hurdle and bumper respectively.

The penalised Jungle Jack dug deep to deny debutant Captain Broomfield under Brian Hughes, who said: "He's a grand, big horse and a full-brother to Valdez, so it's no shock. He was a bit green over the last couple, but he really knuckled down well at the back of the last."

Replays, results and analysis

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