Thanks to Cheltenham Mares Hurdle sponsor, OLBG.com, for offering me a charity bet in the Grand National where my winnings will be donated to the Injured Jockeys Fund. My pick is £25EW on Raz De Maree because he’s the 13yo winner of this season’s Coral Welsh National and beat our very own Alfie Spinner in doing so.  Visit OLBG’s Grand National Guide http://www.grand-national-guide.co.uk/grand-national-runners.php for the full list of 2018 Grand National Runners.

Kris Spin gave us all reason to grin at Kelso on Saturday.  Kris Spin and Richard Patrick enjoyed the attritional conditions in the £40,000 Edinburgh Gin Handicap Hurdle at the Scottish Borders track and powered home to beat Donna’s Diamond by just over two lengths. Kris Spin’s own prize of a bag of carrots headed back to Herefordshire on Saturday night with him and will accompany him on a long and well earned summer holiday.  At the age of 10, Kris Spin has run to a career high mark of 140 having won at Ayr, Fontwell and Kelso this season.

Continuing his excellent recent form, seven-year-old Yeats gelding Sir Will made it two wins from three starts when powering clear to win in convincing fashion at Ascot on Sunday. Driven out by Richard Patrick for a four and a half length triumph over nearest pursuer Salmanazar, Sir Will was completing a notable double on the day, to add to the success of Happy Diva earlier in the afternoon. Sir Will, who race in the colours of West Coast Haulage, has thrived since being stepped back up in trip and may well take a trip to Scotland later in April. Happy Diva landed her third victory of the season and is now rated a career best 145 after winning the Geotech Novices’ Chase by a length from Adrien du Pont.

Happy Diva put up a fine display of jumping at Ludlow to win the EBF/Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mares’ Novices Chase in fine style under Richard Patrick. Happy Diva, by King’s Theatre, has had a tough start to her novice chasing campaign when coming up against the likes of Ms Parfois and Jonniesofa on her chase debut. She very much deserved this win at Ludlow and Will and Nicky Roseff’s filly may now head to Huntingdon for the Listed Lady Protectress Chase in February.  

Jamie Moore teamed up with Tree Of Liberty at Ludlow on Wednesday to ride his third winner for the yard in as many days. The start of 2018 saw the yard score its 18th winner of the season.

Sir Will and Town Parks landed a double at Uttoxeter on the final day of 2017. Sir Will was first up and made all to win the three mile maiden hurdle.  He battled well over the final flights and stayed on strongly to fend off a late challenge from Juge Et Parti.

Town Parks gamely saw off the runner-up from the last and opened his account over fences at the fourth attempt, handing his yard a double. His jumping was much more assured and he responded to another fine ride from Jamie Moore.

Gino Trail made all under Harry Skelton to land the spoils in the Junior Jumpers Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in December. Jan Smith’s handsome gelding put up an impressive round of jumping at the home of National Hunt Racing before going on to land the spoils by a length and a quarter from Bun Doran.