Aworkinprogress can win Midlands Grand National

CHRIS WRIGHT AIMS TO BE FIRST PAST THE FINISHING POST WITH TODAY'S TOP TIPS

- 

winning the Download The At The Races App Handicap Chaseat Lingfield Park in February last year, can land the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter this afternoon

(ANDREW REDINGTON)

AWORKINPROGRESS can secure victory in the JenningsBet Midlands Grand National (A Handicap Chase) (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (3pm) at Uttoxeter this afternoon.

As ‘Grand National’ season gets under way Nick Gifford's seven-year-old can land the Midlands version before the Irish National at Fairyhouse, Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse and the Scottish equivalent at Ayr all take place over the next four weeks.

After the highs of the Cheltenham Festival, where powerful owner JP McManus was among the winners including Saratoga, Johnnywho and Meetmebythesea, he can win the Midlands National for a fourth time after Laura's Beau (1992), Synchronised (2010) and Time For A Win (2021).

Aworkinprogress has won seven of his eight starts over fences and looks a progressive young chaser who can improve further for the step up to this marathon trip of 4m2f.

The gelded son of 2007 Irish Derby winner Soldier Of Fortune won his first five starts over the bigger obstacles, scoring at Stratford over 2m6½f on his chasing debut in October 2024. He then triumphed three times at Lingfield over just shy of three miles before landing another win stepped up to 3m2f on his seasonal return at this Uttoxeter track in November of last year.

He suffered his only defeat when fifth in the Coral Welsh Grand National Trial at Chepstow at the start of December, when he never seemed to happy throughout.

But Aworkinprogress put that behind him when back to winning ways stepped up to 3m5f in the Surrey National Handicap Chase back at his beloved Lingfield in January.