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Beaumont to take feature

Young Kenny is hard to get away from in the Marstons Pedigree Midlands Grand National over four and a quarter miles at Uttoxeter…

Sat Mar 20 1999 - 00:00

Young Kenny is hard to get away from in the Marstons Pedigree Midlands Grand National over four and a quarter miles at Uttoxeter today. Peter Beaumont's promising young chaser has shown much-improved form since being given a true stamina test.

The eight-year-old got off the mark for the campaign over four miles and a furlong at Market Rasen at Christmas when, after being left in the lead three out, he galloped on strongly to beat Solo Gent three lengths.

A second to the progressive Step On Eyre followed at Wetherby before he was sent off a heavily-backed favourite for Newcastle's Eider Chase, only to be knocked over at the first.

None the worse for the incident, Young Kenny reappeared seven days later in the Greenalls Grand National Trial at Haydock and put up a personal best.

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Racing from 9lb out of the handicap he jumped to the front four out and galloped on resolutely to beat Fiddling The Facts by 13 lengths.

Young Kenny goes to post today 7lb higher than last time but had a good field well stretched out behind him last time and can win this £70,000-added contest from one of the two Irish challengers, Hollybank Buck, who showed he is a dour stayer when winning over an extended four miles at Newcastle last time.

Jessolle has been laid out for the Tattersalls EBF Mares' Novice Chase Final (Handicap) and is the best bet of the day.

Norman Williamson, celebrating wins on Betty's Boy and Generosa at Cheltenham's National Hunt Festival, left the icing on the cake for Folkestone yesterday when he clocked up 100 winners for the season on Buckland Lad.

But it was not easy, as the Gardie Grissell-trained chestnut made a few mistakes in the two-mile Hospice On The Hill Handicap Chase and looked in trouble when the leaders kicked away from him. Yet he stayed on approaching the straight to collar Gipsy Geof at the last and score by two lengths.

Alex Ferguson had his second result of the week when Yankie Lord landed the Graham Building Supplies Handicap Chase at Fakenham. The Manchester United manager is a member of The Boys In Red, the partnership that owns Yankie Lord.