HOPEFULLY, Haydock can beat the frost and race, because there are not only Cheltenham clues, but Grand National ones as well.

If it does pass its 8am inspection, The Peter Marsh Chase at 3.15 is full of Aintree hopefuls, including the Howard Johnson-trained Frankie Figg, but they will all have to go a bit to beat the Irish Raider Becauseicouldntsee.

The eight-year-old, who was second in the National Hunt Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, finished runner- up in a valuable race last time out at Leopardstown under ace amateur Nina Carberry, who is back on board today.

Noel Glynn is dreaming of National glory and reports his charge in fine shape.

“He’s in good form,” he said.

“We were thinking of waiting for a race in Ffos Las in a fortnight’s time, but we thought we’d go to Haydock as the fences are bigger there and we want to get his eye in for Aintree.

“After Leopardstown we thought about maybe just staying over hurdles until the National, but he might not have enough experience over fences to be doing that.

“We’ll give him this run this weekend and that might be his last over fences, but we’ll see how we get on.

“I think he’ll run well. I’ve been talking to the BHA handicapper Phil Smith and he thought he’d want to be on his current rating (144) to get into the National.

“He thinks he’d get in the race with about 10st 10lb with that, which would be grand.

“I don’t think weight would stop him. He’s a tank of a horse and although they say weight stops trains, he can carry it better than the smaller horses.

“Nina (Carberry) rides him.

I was thinking of putting a professional on him but Nina wanted to ride and she knows him better than anyone.

“I don’t think ground makes a huge difference to him.”

The Stanjames.com Champion Hurdle trial at 2.05 has only attracted four runners and it should be plain sailing for the excellent Peddlers Cross. Donald McCain’s sixyear- old is unbeaten in six career starts and can take this Grade 2 contest on the way to Cheltenham.

“Everything is grand with him and we’ve had no problems at all since the Fighting Fifth,” said McCain.

“We just want to get the race on, get it out of the way and see what happens then.

“It looks a good opportunity for him. We’ve got to give weight away, but it goes without saying you’d like to think he could.

“I think the ground is going to ride a bit dead but it should be fine for him. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed.”

McCain and stable jockey Jason Maguire, who have a great strike-rate at their local track, hold solid claims of taking the following race, the Liverpool Echo Novices’ Chase, with Wymott, who is unbeaten in two starts over fences this year.

Maguire said: “I have always thought the world of this horse and we went steady with him last year and it is paying off now.

“I don’t think he will have a problem dropping back in trip and he is a smashing horse who they all have to beat.”