Great form of Wakanda gives Yorkshire's Sue Smith hope for Betfred Bowl at Aintree

HOPEFUL: Wakanda and Danny Cook, left, in action on their way to winning the bet 365 Handicap Chase at Wetherby in October 2015. Picture: John Giles/PA.

Unlike seven of the steeplechaser’s potential eight rivals, Wakanda missed last month’s Cheltenham Festival and heads to entry fresh.

However, this likable seven-year-old, owned by retired South Yorkshire farmer Ray Scholey, will require a career-best performance just to compete on level terms against horses of the calibre of Gold Cup second Djakadam and Cue Card, who came to grief at the third last fence while leading the blue riband race.

Even though the Grade One Betfred Bowl has grown in stature, and is regarded as the ‘Gold Cup’ of the North, Wakanda’s high handicap mark left Smith with little other option.

“What can you say? The horse is in great form going there,” the High Eldwick trainer told The Yorkshire Post. “He finished fourth in a novice chase at Aintree last year. If we had gone for the handicap chase on National day, he would have had top weight.

“He’s got fresh legs as everything else ran at Cheltenham or wherever. Hopefully, he will run a big race. He’s a tough customer and will do his best.”

Wakanda, so instrumental in Thirsk-based jockey Danny Cook’s career-best season, won Listed races at Wetherby, Newcastle and Ascot earlier this season before being pulled up on his last outing at Cheltenham at the end of January when the going proved too heavy for a diminutive horse that is small in stature, but big in heart.

As for Wakanda’s rivals, Colin Tizzard reports Cue Card – victorious in Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase last October – to be showing no ill-effects from his Gold Cup mishap.

“He’s been in the form of his life all season. Aintree on good to soft ground is absolutely perfect for him,” he said. “Everything’s been absolutely fine since Cheltenham. Paddy Brennan came down and schooled him and he looks fantastic. May they all jump round clear and the best horse win.”

Although Smith has no runner in Saturday’s National, she hopes course specialist Mr Moonshine will flourish in tomorrow’s Chase over Aintree’s unique fences. “The old horses loves the fences, doesn’t he? With luck, he will run a very big race,” she said.

As for the National, Smith believes 2015 winner Many Clouds can prevail again. She was at Kelso when the Trevor Hemmings-owned defending champion won his prep race and that his jumping couldn’t have been more impressive.