Pete the star of the season

PETE THE FEAT could bid to add to his impressive string of victories by turning out in the 3m5f (5 800m) Grade 3 Betfred Classic Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

The nine-year-old has become a winning machine since being switched to trainer Charlie Longsdon in the summer with five wins from as many starts, which have resulted in his rating rocketing 40lb.

Pete The Feat’s most recent victory came at Newbury less than two weeks ago, giving Longsdon concerns about running again so soon although he reports his runner to be in excellent shape. Speaking in the Racing & Football Outlook Trainer File, Longsdon said: “He’s definitely the star of the season. To go up 40lb is way more than I’d have envisaged and it’s been great fun having him. You don’t look too far ahead but he’s entered in Warwick’s Classic Chase at the weekend. It is, in my eyes, too soon for him, but he has come out of his last race extremely well.

“He loves three-miles-plus on softish ground, but saying that he’d love three and a half on better ground. His wins for us have been twice on good to soft, once on good and the last two on heavy, so he goes on all ground.”

The trainer added: “If he doesn’t go to Warwick, we’ll wait until the end of the month and either go to the West Wales National at Ffos Las, a similar race at Sandown or the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.”

Meanwhile, Aintree has announced total prize-money for the Grand National meeting in April will be at an all-time high of over £2.7 million. Thirteen of the three-day meeting’s 21 races have been boosted with the £2,725,000 total up £185,000 from last year. However, the Grand National - to be run under the sponsorship of John Smith’s for the final time this year - remains £25,000 adrift of seven figures. Twelve months ago the big race’s pot was swelled to £975,000 from £950,000.