News Leading Eider Chase fancy Daklondike to skip Newcastle marathon

Leading Eider Chase fancy Daklondike to skip Newcastle marathon

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Daklondike will sidestep Saturday's Betfred Eider Chase at Newcastle and instead be prepared for the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter on March 17.

David Pipe's charge has won three of his five starts over fences this season, most recently scoring comfortably at Newbury in late December.

However, he was declared a non-runner in last weekend's Grand National Trial at Haydock following unsatisfactory blood results and while Pipe gave his six-year-old an entry in this weekend's four-mile marathon at Gosforth Park, he has decided to take a cautious approach.

Pipe said: "He's going to miss the Eider and, all being well, we'll head straight to the Midlands National. He's not entered at Cheltenham.

"Saturday has just come too soon and obviously it's four miles in what will be very testing ground.

"We'll give him a bit longer and wait for Uttoxeter."