Here’s a Pass to Haydock – and a Gr.2 hurdle

Latenightpass, one of the stars of Britain’s point-to-point and hunters’ chase scene in recent years, lines up in a Gr.2 novices’ hurdle for his next assignment.

The 11-year-old has been declared for Saturday’s Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle (4.25) at Haydock. Ten runners have been declared and Latenightpass will again be ridden by regular partner Gina Andrews.

Owned and bred by Pippa and Tony Ellis, Latenightpass won Aintree’s Randox Foxhunters’ Chase in 2022, a year after finishing second in that race. He was also fourth in it last year after an interrupted preparation.

For this season he was sent to trainer Dan Skelton for an attempt on Cheltenham’s cross-country races and proved an immediate success, ending doubts about his ability to stay long trips when finishing second in the November version over 3m5½f and then winning over the same course in December (pictured above). That led to a new plan to tackle the world’s most famous steeplechase, the Randox Grand National at Aintree, a course where he has shown an aptitude for the unique fences.

The hurdling plan is one followed by a number of trainers keen to run a horse before The Grand National, but having no wish to see a change to their handicap mark over fences. A poor run could lead to a drop in their mark and the possibility of missing the race, while a win could result in a weight rise. The Grand National weights are being published on Tuesday next week.

Latenightpass and Gina Andrews, who head to Haydock on Saturday

The Ellises son, Tom, who trained Latenightpass when he was pointing and hunter chasing, says of the Haydock run, which will be over a trip just in excess of three miles on heavy ground: “Gina schooled him over hurdles the other day and he was brilliant. It would be nice to win or gain a place in a Gr.2 race, to pick up some black type and help the rest of the family [all bred from the mare Latenightdip]. He has a sister [Latenightfumble] who is now breeding and it could help the value of her foals.

“For a long time I thought he was at his best on good ground, but he won on heavy at Cheltenham in December and he showed a new level of form when he won on very soft ground in a hunters’ chase at Warwick when Bridget [Gina’s sister] rode him [in February 2021]. I’ve been guided by Dan about where he should run, but Saturday’s race is perfectly timed before a challenge for the National.

“It’s a very good race, but he’s been in a few battles and has a lot more experience than his rivals.

“When he first went to Dan’s it took him a week to settle in. After he won at Cheltenham in December he came home to us for a break and then went back to Dan’s on the third week of January. That time he settled straight in as if he had never been away.”