Pipe & Scu win the Midlands National David Pipe's Master Overseer won the Betfred Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter. The Master of Pond House had saddled Minella Four Star to win the extended four mile and a furlong contest 12 months ago and repeated the feat with the Brocade Racing owned nine year old. At the front throughout the whole of the first two circuits alongside stablemate and top-weight Tamarinbleu, Master Overseer had to dig deep under Tom Scudamore to repel the sustained challenge of Major Malarkey from the second last. Just three quarters of a length separated the pair at the end of a terrific battle during which they pulled 16 lengths clear of Ballyfitz - second last year and, like this year's second, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies - with Ballyfoy in fourth. The winner had been well supported in the ante-post markets for the Welsh National after making a winning return but the 11-1 chance, who was nibbled at in the market, had been freshened up after running moderately in the Chepstow contest and was having his first start since December. Pipe said: "When he won over hurdles at Chepstow in November I thought he was a cracking prospect for the Welsh National, but things just went downhill after that. "Over three miles he really wants soft ground - the softer the better - but it seems over this longer distance he acts on better going. "There's nothing flash about him - all he does is jump and stay." Scudamore added: "He's a tough horse to pass when he gets into a rhythm. "He's had plenty of problems but he keeps coming back for more."
