Great Yorkshire (Handicap) Chase

Ian_Davies

Ian_Davies

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When my Dad first took me to see this race in 1978 it was still over 3m2f.

It's been 3m for some years now and Town Moor is relatively well drained and a dry spell can result in Good ground in January for this race (Annual Invictus, last year's winner, broke standard by 2.65 seconds).

The entries have been made and I'm looking forward to this year's renewal.
 
The Grimthorpe was an absolutely nothing race until it got elevated in stature in recent years.

I think it usurped the Pennine Chase in which I once was there on Town Moor to see Night Nurse clobber Midnight Court:
 
Was its elevation in stature related to Mr Frisk winning it before going on to Aintree glory?

Edit - I'm talking shite again. Mr F was beaten in a 3m2f hcap chase that season but it wasn't the Grimthorpe and he won over CD two seasons before, the Sheila's Cottage Hcap Chase.
 
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I've no idea, tbh, but I went racing at Doncaster loads between 1978 and 1988 and I barely knew the Grimthorpe even existed during that time - it was a relatively minor race.

The Racing Calendar has changed a fair bit since those days as you'd imagine - the Yorkshire Hurdle wasn't just for mares back then and I was there this day in 1978 to see Night Nurse beat Birds Nest in it:
 
From 1966 to 1982 the GYC reads like a who's who of racing...some great memories although not so great now but still a great watch.
Unfortunately it also has one of my worst memories when the only horse that could have given Arkle a race in the Gold Cup Buona Notte lost his life. He had already beaten Arkle on his only race as a second season novice and was a huge loss to NH racing at the time
 
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