First Drift's win gives Case food for thought

The seven-year-old won Wednesday’s Planet Platforms Ltd Novices’ Hurdle in the hands of Max Kendrick. First Drift made the early running but made an error and was headed two out before hitting the front again and stayed on well.

That was a third success from six starts for First Drift and all of this season’s runs have come at Doncaster, where he was fourth and fifth on his previous two starts at the Yorkshire course.

That took Case on to 11 winners for the campaign and he said: “First Drift takes his races very well. He will gradually improve with each run and looks a fair prospect to go chasing next season.

“He could run in another novice race this season but we’ll be dictated by the handicapper.”

Meanwhile, Case said he will see how Themanfrom Minella has come out of Saturday’s Betfred Eider Handicap Chase at Newcastle where he was pulled up.

The Wardington Gate Farm handler added: “I’m not sure if he gets the trip but he had to be pulled up after a horse in front of him fell. He wasn’t running too badly when that happened, I’m not sure if he’d have been in the first three but if he had got round in those conditions we’d have been reasonably happy.

“The ground was bit dead and tacky, it would have been better if they had some rain beforehand.

“We’ll have to see how he comes out of the race but I think the Midlands National may come a bit too soon for him. We’ll keep him ticking over and if we get some rain before the end of March I would give him a run, he doesn’t want it too quick.”