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Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter for Jim Dreaper's Goonyella

Image: Goonyella could run at Uttoxeter

The Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter has been pencilled for Jim Dreaper's potential Aintree hope Goonyella.

The eight-year-old missed the cut in the Crabbie's Grand National on Merseyside last spring, but is likely to be entered once more in the hope that he gets in the race and has his favoured testing conditions.

Dreaper's charge performed well to finish third in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park behind Gold Cup aspirant Djakadam, albeit profiting from the final-fence fall of The Job Is Right.

Dreaper said: "He's very consistent, but he just seems to be in the grip of the handicapper at the moment.

"He was up there the whole way and was placed by default in the end.

"The ground in Gowran was extremely testing and I think it was a hard race for all the horses, apart from the winner, who was very impressive.

"I don't think he'll be going to Haydock as that will likely come too quick.

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"We'll enter him in the National. He just missed out last year and he's a bit lower in the weights this year. I think he has a similar chance of getting in.

"But if you don't enter, you definitely won't get in, so we'll put him in there and it could be that he pitches up at Uttoxeter first at the end of Cheltenham week in the Midlands Grand National."

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