Mr Vango Can Thrill With Welsh Grand National Win at Chepstow
Mr Vango is a nine-year-old front-running chaser trained by Sara Bradstock at Old Manor Stables in Wantage, Oxfordshire. He is the second-favourite for Saturday's Welsh Grand National at Chepstow.
The yard is described as old-school and linked to historic chasers such as Golden Miller, Carruthers, and Coneygree.
Mr Vango began life as a store foal, bought for €7,000 in November 2016. After vanishing for more than five years, he won a Cambridgeshire point-to-point in February 2022 before joining Bradstock for £30,000.
He is a much better chaser than hurdler, demonstrated by a 60-length win over fences in the Devon National at Exeter in February 2024, shortly before the death of Mark Bradstock.
In Sara Bradstock's first season as sole licensee, Mr Vango completed a perfect three-from-three: winning the London National at Sandown, the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock, and the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter.
His win at Uttoxeter raised his rating beyond the cut-off for recent Nationals; he was raised 3 lb to 155 after finishing second at Aintree but is permitted to race off his old mark of 152 at Chepstow.
