First-stop Warwick 
for National hopefuls

As part of the two-year deal, the Tote has developed a bonus scheme in conjunction with Jockey Club Racecourses centred around the John Smith’s Grand National.

Winning connections will pick up £250,000 if the same horse manages to win January’s Classic Chase, February’s Haydock Park Gold 
Cup and the Aintree showpiece in April.

The ‘totesport Road to Aintree’ bonus will be split between the owner, trainer, jockey and stable staff in an effort to encourage potential Grand National candidates to run in all three races.

In the event that either Warwick or Haydock Park is abandoned, the bonus will be reduced to £100,000 for any horse that manages to win one race and then goes on to complete the double at Aintree.

Paul Fisher, chief operating officer for Jockey Club Racecourses said: “It’s fantastic for Jockey Club Racecourses to strengthen our partnership with the Tote.

“The Road to Aintree bonus creates an even stronger incentive to race at Warwick, Haydock Park and Aintree.

“Hopefully we’ll see a really good head of steam building up to the John Smith’s Grand National.”

“This year’s Warwick race was lost to the snow and managing director Huw Williams will be hoping the weather is kinder in January for what is the course’s showpiece meeting of the year, televised by Channel 4.

Ahead of that, Warwick stages its second jumps meeting of the new season on Wednesday, with a seven-race card starting at 1pm.

The feature race is the Highflyer Bloodstock Four Year Old Novices’ Chase over two miles.

Won last year by Rory Boy from the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable. it is the only race of its kind run in the country and is often contested by French-bred horses, who start jumping fences earlier than their English counterparts.

Among the past winners is Voy Por Ustedes, who went on to become champion two-mile chaser at the Cheltenham Festival.