HAYDOCK Park stages its first meeting of 2005 on Saturday, January 8 when several Grand National hopefuls are expected to be on show in the seven-race card.
It's often said that racing over two-and-a-half miles is ideal preparation for the Aintree marathon and that's the distance chosen by legendary trainer Ginger McCain for his National prospect Ebony Light at Haydock on Saturday.
The nine-year-old needs to rattle up at least one win in the coming weeks to guarantee a place alongside stablemate and last year's National hero Amberleigh House among the 40 runners that will start the big race at Liverpool in April.
He's set to be joined in the 888.com Poker Handicap Chase by Luzcadou, a faller in the National last year and a participant in the central European equivalent, the Velka Pardubicka, in October.
Another veteran in the £13,500 race - the most valuable on the card - is trainer Venetia Williams' Banker Count, who is enjoying a new lease of success aged 13 and is a confirmed specialist at Saturday's distance.
Scotland
The highest-rated horse in the event is Len Lungo's Skippers Cleuch, while another horse travelling from Scotland is Catch The Perk from the in-form stable of Lucinda Russell.
Racing gets under way at 12.45pm and more details about racing at Haydock are available on web site www.haydock-park.co.uk
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