JODAMI, now being aimed at the Jameson Irish Grand National, has an alternative target in the Whitbread Gold Cup, for which he was allotted top weight of 12 stone yesterday. The 11 year old is rated 4lb superior to Life Of A Lord.
The former Gold Cup winner, forced to miss Cheltenham and now Aintree as well, is one of several high profile entries for the Sandown contest on April 27th, the last big race of the National Hunt season in Britain.
With four weeks between Aintree and Sandown this year, there is a better chance for the Grand National winner to attempt to win the Whitbread as well, a feat last achieved by Mr Frisk in 1990.
Life Of A Lord, Wylde Hide Young Hustler, Lo Stregone, Tartan Tyrant and Superior Finish and are all engaged at Liverpool and Sandown.
Also included in the £100,000 race are Bradbury Star, Scotton Banks, Egypt Mill Prince, dual Whitbread winner Topsham Bay and Cab On Target.
Irish stables, only twice winners of the Whitbread, with Arkle in 1965 and Drumlargan in 1983, are strongly represented this time with six entries.
The Whitbread has long been the sole jumps race on a flat race card, featuring the Thresher Classic Trial and the TGI Friday's Gordon Richards Stakes. But last year's decision to add a second chase will be repeated.
Sandown staged the Silver Trophy Chase in 1995 because Cheltenham was close for construction work. But, with that race returning to Cheltenham, a new event has been created on Whitbread Day, the £20,000 Brewer's Fayre Novices Handicap Chase over two miles, four and a half furlongs.
