383 days off . . . no problem! Iwilldoit back at his best with Classic Chase win

Saturday: Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase, Warwick

Sam Thomas made an early move for training performance of the year when readying stamina-packed stayer Iwilldoit for Classic Chase success on his first start since striking in the 2021 Welsh Grand National.

A two-and-three-quarter-length defeat of Ireland’s sole runner Mr Incredible on his first outing in 383 days ensured Iwilldoit was shortened to 20-1 (from 50) by William Hill for the Randox Grand National on April 15.

One For Arthur followed victory in Warwick’s feature chase by winning jump racing’s most famous contest in 2017, and Classic Chase sponsors Wigley Group are offering a £100,000 bonus if Iwilldoit completes the double. He would have to take a different route to One For Arthur, however, with another chase start required by February 19 to meet the race stipulation of six or more runs over fences.

Iwilldoit is a four-time winner from five chase starts and defied a 7lb rise in convincing fashion under Stan Sheppard, jumping to the front at the second-last and galloping relentlessly to the line on an impressive reappearance.

Thomas said: "He’s a star – he’s very genuine and it’s very straightforward when they want to do it for you like he does.

"He doesn’t need these conditions, but the speed he was going at the start was the same speed he was going at the finish. He’s given us a few options going forward but it's the softer the better for him.

Massive big-race double for our expert Spotlight tipsters

Our industry-leading spotlight tipsters found Saturday’s two big-race winners at double-figure prices – Iwilldoit at 12-1 in the Classic Chase and West Balboa – also at 12-1 – in the Lanzarote Hurdle!

Not only that, they also landed a 997-1 four-timer with their daily Lucky 15 selections as Quick Draw (5-4, Kempton) and Iroko (13-8, Wetherby) joined the pair of big handicap winners.

The Spotlight team provides expert race analysis, tips and verdicts on each horse for every race in Britain and Ireland – to get the full Spotlight experience sign up to Racing Post Members’ Club !

"I don’t know about Aintree, he needs another run over fences before the weights come out as he’s still not qualified to run in the Grand National. The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris [May 21] is another option as it tends to be testing ground over there."

The past few months have understandably been challenging for Thomas. In November he was involved in a horrifying helicopter crash along with his landlord and high-profile owner Dai Walters, who was later moved to intensive care and whose recovery is ongoing.

Just four days on from the accident in north Wales, Thomas sealed a poignant triumph in Aintree’s Grand Sefton over the National fences with the Walters-owned Al Dancer and he was emotional at plundering this major staying prize.

Thomas said: "It’s been a whirlwind of a season but we’ll enjoy this today. These days are what we do the job for – to take on the big boys and win a nice prize is fantastic.

"We had a good start to the season, and from November onwards for obvious reasons we struggled a bit, but it’s great to have a winner like this."

The reintroduction of tougher Covid restrictions in Wales in December 2021 meant the 25 owners involved in Iwilldoit were unable to be at Chepstow for his National success. They cheered him into Warwick's winner’s enclosure with significant gusto.

There was added poignancy for Chris Morgan, the man behind Diamond Racing, as his 12-year-old son Dylan is recovering from a bleed on the brain that required life-saving surgery following a blow to the head in a rugby game in October.

Kevin Burgess, racing manager for Diamond Racing, said: "Chris has been through hell recently and this is for him. I’m so delighted for him – he needed a boost and this is it. It was very scary when it happened and Dylan has a bit more treatment to come but he’s going to be fine."

Iwilldoit: Grand National and Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris among big-race optionsCredit: Getty Images

It is not just Iwilldoit with potential Grand National aspirations as Paul Byrne, owner of the Willie Mullins-trained runner-up Mr Incredible, is eyeing the Aintree showpiece – one year on from selling Noble Yeats prior to his big-race heroics.

Byrne said: "I'm hoping he'll get a 3lb or 4lb rise to get in the National. I never felt we were going to win it when watching the race, but I'm just happy to get the wheels back on track.

"Everything had gone well at home coming into this and he's been training differently. He's been going up different gallops every day and Patrick [Mullins] has been looking after him mainly, so it's a Patrick project.

"Patrick wants to win the Kim Muir, so the horse could run in that, but that's a 0-145, so we'll see what he goes up."

Read Saturday's reports:

Warwick: 'Some were under par' - Skelton fires in double to quash doubts over yard form

Lanzarote Hurdle: 'This is up there with the big ones' - Andrews revels in Kempton nail-biter

Kempton: Pic D'Orhy sets up Shishkin clash with emphatic Silviniaco Conti win

Fairyhouse: 'That was some thrill' - Danoli days evoked as Foley family celebrate with Gold

Wetherby: Brian Hughes makes course history as Richmond Lake sails home

Lingfield: 'I've thought about going abroad' - Annaf excites with easy weight-carrying win