THE WETHERBY FLING Martell Grand National hope The Last Fling will bid for the Tote Bookmakers Handicap Chase at Wetherby next Saturday before attempting a repeat win in the De Vere Gold Cup at Haydock. Last year`s Aintree seventh has been denied a run of late by the loss of the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby and the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock due to the weather. The Sue Smith-trained gelding has not run since unseating his rider six fences from home in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock in early-December. Owner Trevor Hemmings` racing manager Michael Meagher said: 'We are keen to go Haydock again before Aintree but we do need to get a race into him first. 'There are not a lot of really suitable opportunities for him now unfortunately, so I think we will have to go to Wetherby even though the race is only two and a half miles which is not ideal for him. 'He does seem to like flat tracks like Haydock and Wetherby. He has run his best races at those courses and hopefully he will give a good account of himself despite the trip.'
