Folsom Blue Tailor Made for Uttoxeter Slog

A day after Cheltenham and attention turns elsewhere, with Uttoxeter taking centre stage on Saturday, with their Midlands Grand National meeting. The feature race on the card is always a very competitive affair, with many top stayers in there, who are just slightly below what is required to get into the national. Not is the time for sportsbook bets in UK

One of those horses is Folsom Blue, an Irish challenger and this kind of test looks absolutely tailor made for him. He has had a strange campaign so far, with two runs over hurdles and just one outing over fences, which came in the Welsh National. He ran ok that day, coming 8th, but the additional distance here will really play into his hands and bring him into the race much better.

He ran a brilliant race last April to finish fourth in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, off a very similar mark to this. That race was on heavy ground that day, and that is exactly what brought him into contention. He needs a real test, he got it that day and while the ground at Uttoxeter will not be as bad, the race is over further, which will only help.

I think it’s interesting that Davy Russell stays over in Britain to ride him, when he would surely love nothing more than to go home and have a day off after a gruelling four days at the festival. Gordon Elliott sends this horse across from Ireland, and we don’t have to worry about him travelling, this is something he has done in the past.

I think the race has a very open feel to it, but if Folsom Blue can get the stamina test he needs, then he is certainly handicapped to get involved in a big race like this. I’m hoping for the test tomorrow, the ground is soft already and we have rain forecast. All of that will help this horse, the more the better, and I can see him running very well on Saturday.