Total Recall Enhances Grand National Claims At Gowran Park
Winner of the Goff’s Thyestes 2020 – TOTAL RECALL & Danny Mullins pic.twitter.com/CEBUM1Fexl
— Emma O’Brien (@EmmaOBrien2204) 23 January 2020
Willie Mullins is set to go into the 2020 Randox Health Grand National with a strong team of horses. Total Recall became the latest runner from his yard to boost his claims with victory in Ireland on Thursday.
The 11-year-old was successful in the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase as he stayed on strongly in the closing stages of the 3m1½f contest at Gowran Park to prevail by 5½ lengths.
The race took place in thick fog in County Kilkenny, making visibility poor for those at the track and watching on television. Connections will have been delighted with the way their horse handled the conditions in what was a return to form for a chaser who was picking up his first success since February 2018.
It was Total Recall’s second run of the season as he made his reappearance in a hurdle race at Clonmel, finishing a modest third of seven. He seemed to appreciate his return to fences on this latest start as Danny Mullins partnered him for the win.
Odds cut into 25/1* for Grand National
His success at Gowran Park was enough for the bookmakers to slash Total Recall’s odds in half to 25/*1 for the Grand National in April. The performance would have sparked a lot of interest in the veteran chaser for the Aintree contest later in the season.
Mullins’ runner has an entry in a handicap chase at Leopardstown next month and so his mark could increase further before the weights for the National are announced.
Total Recall is currently behind stablemate Burrows Saint in the betting for the 4m2½f race as the latter is the 12/1* second favourite, with only Tiger Roll ahead of him. If he follows up at Leopardstown, he is likely to be much closer to the top two runners in the ante-post market.
Ladbrokes Trophy success in 2017 the highlight so far
The biggest victory in Total Recall’s career to date came in the 2017 Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury. He was well backed for that contest and justified going off as the 9/2 favourite, scoring by a neck in the Grade Three event.
Later that season, he took his chance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but came down at the third fence from home in the Blue Riband event of the Festival.
Second shot at Merseyside contest
If he lines up in April, it will be Total Recall’s second appearance in the Grand National. He was part of the 38-runner field in 2018 although he was pulled up just before the penultimate fence after going off as the 7/1 favourite.
A number of mistakes early into that contest did not help his chances in the race which was won by Tiger Roll. The Irish horse seemed to struggle to get into a rhythm over the bigger fences at Aintree.
Connections opted against running their horse in the 2019 renewal. Instead, the chaser featured in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. He was prominent at the front end of the field for the majority of that outing before being pulled up before four out.
With more experience under his belt over fences now, and his latest victory, Total Recall may be much better prepared for his second shot at the National this year.
*Odds subject to change.
