UTTOXETER 15:00

Non Runners: INIS OIRR (IRE). Fences: 25.

Time: 9m 43s Closing Sectional: (2.6f): 43.8s (101.7%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 121%, Betfair SP 101.7%

The smallest field for the Midlands Grand National since 11 ran in 2013 and nothing was completely out of contention after 5 out, though conditions obviously dictated that stamina was still very much at a premium.

BEAUPORT (IRE) was kept much handier than previously this season and turned in a performance completely different to at Warwick, going with plenty of zest this time 9 weeks on and overcoming some sticky jumping to showcase his stamina for a marathon trip; chased leaders on outer, pressed leader from ninth but started to jump/hang right, led fourteenth, headed when jumped right again eighteenth, pecked twentieth, untidy 4 out and 3 out, led again last, stayed on well; he's still only 8 and hasn't been over-raced, so he could yet have an even bigger staying prize in him (runs in the colours of Corbiere and no surprise were he to be aimed at the National next year).

MR INCREDIBLE (IRE) last seen exiting at the second Canal Turn in last year's National, set himself up for another crack at that with a perfectly encouraging return giving 10 lb and more away all around, not doing anything wrong for once and possible that he's just a more mature horse now, though he'll need to up his game a bit further to defy a mark of 150 in that; mid-field, mistake sixteenth, effort 4 out, stayed on gradually, took second late on.

MY SILVER LINING (IRE) is as likeable as they come and ran another cracker in an even more valuable contest over an even longer trip, this basically a carbon copy of her Haydock run last time, at a push her rider guilty of going for home a fraction sooner than ideal, repeated slogs in the mud showing no signs of dampening her enthusiasm; close up, jumped soundly, travelled fluently, jumped on 5 out, kicked on 3 out, headed last, lost second near finish.

AUTONOMOUS CLOUD (IRE) winner of the novice handicap on this card in 2023, bounced back to form after flopping when well fancied for the Welsh National 11 weeks earlier, sporting a tongue strap this time having bled that day and proving this sort of marathon test within range, having no more to offer only right at the death having been asked to come from further back than the 3 ahead of him; waited with, smooth headway out wide 5 out, in contention 3 out, no extra only run-in.

FARCEUR DU LARGE (FR) shaped as if still in very good form in a much more competitive contest than the military races he'd been winning at Sandown, a combination of the much longer trip (only previous try beyond 25f had come when pulled up in last year's Irish National) and a stopping blunder in the straight exaggerating the distance he was beaten; led until fourteenth, led again eighteenth, headed when steadied into 5 out, clouted 3 out, no extra.

GOLD CLERMONT (FR) ran about as well as could be expected from 7 lb out of the weights; in rear, took closer order 5 out, no further impression.

FOXBORO (GER) hardly arrived in much form and, back in cheekpieces, found this too competitive, mid-field, not always fluent, lost ground fourteenth, last and struggling circuit out, merely got back past beaten horses straight.

ASK ME EARLY (IRE) struggled with a rise in the weights for winning a veterans race the time before; tracked pace, outpaced entering straight, left behind gradually.

TRUCKERS LODGE (IRE) after 11 weeks off and running in this race for the fifth successive year (won it as a novice in 2020), made it back-to-back below-par efforts; prominent, lost ground nineteenth, no threat after.

GUETAPAN COLLONGES (FR) turned in a rare poor effort in a first-time tongue strap after 9 weeks off; held up, not fluent tenth, held when steadied into 4 out.

YOUNG DEV (IRE) runner-up in this in 2022, can be excused this, having his third run in a fortnight; held up, brief headway before 4 out and 3 out, untidy next, not sustain effort.

IRON BRIDGE (IRE) proved a let-down, his jumping failing to pass muster and, while he's hardly been shaping badly, his only win in his last 8 starts came when finishing alone in a match; soon steadied, hit fifteenth, slow twentieth, untidy next, beaten when not fluent 4 out, pulled up last.