Wendigo out for Cheltenham compensation in the Mildmay Any rain over Aintree will be welcome as Wendigo prepares to bid for the William Hill Mildmay Novices’ Chase. The seven-year-old has been giving owners RC Syndicate a run for their money all season, taking to chasing with aplomb and winning the John Francome at Newbury before finishing third in the Kauto Star at Kempton. He was then the wide-margin winner of an an Ayr novice in late January and lined up an 11-1 shot for the Brown Advisory at the Festival, where he looked to be posting a solid run before falling at the last. “He was highly progressive in the run-up to Cheltenham and he was running well enough there, I think he was in fourth when he came down at the last” said trainer Jamie Snowden. “The ground probably wasn’t quite soft enough for him on that day, hopefully they’ve put plenty of water down at Aintree. “He came out of Cheltenham well and we’ve been very happy with his work, he schooled really well on Wednesday morning. “I just hope the ground is OK, plenty of watering and a bit of rain would be ideal.” The Brown Advisory went the way of Kitzbuhel and behind him in third was Josh and Gary Moore’s Salver, who meets Wendigo again. Miami Magic did not line up at the Cheltenham and therefore arrives at Aintree a fresh horse, having last been seen relishing a step up to a trip just shy of three miles when winning a Newbury novice by 15 lengths in February. “We’re very happy with him. We didn’t go to Cheltenham with him on purpose to try to keep him fresh for this run so we go there with what we hope is a good chance,” said trainer Stuart Edmunds. “He came out of the Newbury race very well and we didn’t stress him too much. “The ground won’t bother him whichever way it goes, they’ll keep it very nice ground so we’re not worried about that. “He goes there a relatively fresh horse for this time of year and he seems to cope with most things. “He is proving to versatile and I think improvement has come with stepping up in trip over fences, that’s given him confidence instead of gunning them down over two miles.” Paul Nicholls’ Regent’s Stroll was last seen finishing third Jack Richards Novices’ Chase at the Festival, and will attempt to bring the Mildmay trophy back to Ditcheat after Caldwell Potter landed the race 12 months ago. “He has been progressive all season and ran very well at Cheltenham in the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap chase, finishing third,” Nicholls said via Betfair of Regent’s Stroll. “He jumped well and looked like for the first time ever he wanted three miles. He’s dead relaxed now. Decent ground suits him well, so it’d be nice to think he can do what Caldwell Potter did last year. “He actually ran very well at Aintree last year in the Grade One Novice Hurdle. He was only just beat, he led all the way and just got beat close home, it looks like being a smallish field on Friday, which will suit him, but he’s got so much more mature now and he’s crying out for three miles.” Willie Mullins’ Gold Dancer is the sole Irish-trained runner, with Anthony Honeyball saddling two contenders in Jordans Cross and Crest Of Fortune and Dan Skelton set to run Doyen Quest.
