Malina Girl seeking to be a Classic winner for Cromwell

PA Sport Staff
January 12, 2024 11:38 am

Weighty burden, but mare already successful in Britain this season.

Gavin Cromwell’s Malina Girl will seek to overcome a top-weight burden in the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

The classy mare was a faller last time when going well in a valuable Cheltenham handicap, prior to which she was victorious in the Jewson Handicap Chase at the same track in November.

The seven-year-old will shoulder 12st in what is invariably a gruelling affair, though conditional rider Conor Stone-Walsh can ease that slightly with his claim.

Cromwell – who has enjoyed plenty of success in his raids across the Irish Sea this season – said: “Top-weight is not ideal and she is quite a small mare so Conor Stone-Walsh is going to claim 5lb and give her every chance.

“She seemed to be going well last time, but it was too early to say (if she would have won).

Malina Girl returning victorious at Cheltenham (Nigel French/PA)

“The trip won’t be a problem and she stays well. She seems in good order so hopefully gives a good account of herself. “

Nigel Twiston-Davies will be represented in the contest by Beauport, second on his most recent outing when seeming to return to form in the London National Handicap Chase at Sandown.

Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to his father, said: “It has always looked like there would be a big pot in him and the trip will suit him well. The ground will be spot on and we’re very excited and looking forward to running him.

“He won some very nice races as a novice over hurdles and the Colin Parker over fences, but last year just didn’t fall right for him, so hopefully there is a nice one in him this year.

“He has slipped down to a very handy mark which hopefully he will be very competitive off.”

Guetapan Collonges in the Midlands Grand National (Tim Goode/PA)

Charlie Longsdon has long had this meeting in mind for Guetapan Collonges, third in the Cheltenham contest won by Malina Girl and fourth in this race last season.

“This race has been the plan for Guetapan Collonges for some time,” the Chipping Norton trainer said.

“We thought about going for a race at Cheltenham during the Christmas meeting but then we thought we would wait for this.

“He is a lot more experienced compared to this time 12 months ago when I thought we were right in the deep end.

“Although he had won at Warwick the time before he had only had a handful of races over fences against small fields and he was very much a second season-chaser that was still very inexperienced.

“Since last year’s race he has run in the Midlands National and a big handicap chase around Cheltenham. He is a lot more experienced now and a lot more streetwise.”

Broken Halo and Harry Cobden at Lingfield (Simon Marper/PA)

Paul Nicholls runs Broken Halo, a nine-year-old who looks to put behind him a fall in the London National.

“He bounced back to form with victories in two races for military riders at Sandown in the spring and was running another sound race at the same track six weeks ago when he fell three from home,” the trainer said via Betfair.

“I was surprised to see him going so well until then because I didn’t think he was ready. Broken Halo needed a bit of time to recover from quite a heavy fall that day, but he is fine now and has done plenty of schooling.”

Elsewhere in the field are Dan Skelton’s Galia Des Liteaux, the winner and runner-up of two Listed mares’ chase this season, and Nicky’s Henderson City Chief, fourth in the Jewson Handicap Chase and fifth in the handicap in which Malina Girl fell.

Venetia Williams runs Fontaine Collonges, the Rowland Meyrick winner at Wetherby on Boxing Day, and Sheila Lewis will saddle the grey stayer Volcano, fifth here last season.