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
 
A decent looking undercard for Doncaster this Saturday too

I'm looking forward to seeing Nells Son, who beat Matata last time, and Unexpected Party the time before that. I reckon he could win again, even off a mark of 149. He might not be much of a price though.

My biggest tracker horse of the year, To Chase A Dream, is entered in the final race aswell. I am looking forward to seeing him again. It's a class 2, but the step up in trip will suit.
 
The top four on RPRs for the Gt Yorks are 20s, 25s, 66s and 25s. Hopefully those kinds of prices will still be there once I've done my own figures.
 
Marb said:
A decent looking undercard for Doncaster this Saturday too

I'm looking forward to seeing Nells Son, who beat Matata last time, and Unexpected Party the time before that. I reckon he could win again, even off a mark of 149. He might not be much of a price though.

My biggest tracker horse of the year, To Chase A Dream, is entered in the final race aswell. I am looking forward to seeing him again. It's a class 2, but the step up in trip will suit.
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Both declared.
 
Walking On Air 3.15 Doncaster Saturday

I've had my eye on this one for the Great Yorkshire all week since it was a confirmed entry on Monday.

It's 25/1, each-way five places if you shop around, and there are pros and cons to it.

The cons are its ex-Nicky Henderson, it might have gone at the game and be £44,000 plus training fees since down the drain for connections and has been pulled up, tailed off and beaten 34 lengths in three starts since changing hands.

You wouldn't take 250/1, or even 2,500/1, never mind 25s, based on that, would you?

The pros - he's still only an 8yo, he needs this step up to 3m and he's yet to show his true potential over fences.

At Exeter in February 2023 he ran a stormer to win a 2m7f handicap hurdle off 133 and he was then a close up fifth in the Pertemps Final off 138.

The following December he was beaten a neck off the same mark on his chasing debut at Newbury (flat left-handed track like Town Moor).

His undistinguished efforts since mean he races off 125 on Saturday.

He's the sort of horse who could be tailed off because he was "well sold" or pop up at a big price and afterwards everyone says: "how could he ever have been those odds?"

Probably the former, but at the odds it doesn't cost much to find out.
 
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Ian_Davies said:
Walking On Air 3.15 Doncaster Saturday

I've had my eye on this one for the Great Yorkshire all week since it was a confirmed entry on Monday.

It's 25/1, each-way five places if you shop around, and there are pros and cons to it.

The cons are its ex-Nicky Henderson, it might have gone at the game and be £44,000 plus training fees since down the drain for connections and has been pulled up, tailed off and beaten 34 lengths in three starts since changing hands.

You wouldn't take 250/1, or even 2,500/1, never mind 25s, based on that, would you?

The pros - he's still only an 8yo, he needs this step up to 3m and he's yet to show his true potential over fences.

At Exeter in February 2023 he ran a stormer to win a 2m7f handicap hurdle off 133 and he was then a close up fifth in the Pertemps Final off 138.

The following December he was beaten a neck off the same mark on his chasing debut at Newbury (flat left-handed track like Town Moor).

His undistinguished efforts since mean he races off 125 on Saturday.

He's the sort of horse who could be tailed off because he was "well sold" or pop up at a big price and afterwards everyone says: "how could he ever have been that price?"

Probably the former, but at the odds it doesn't cost much to find out.
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Also declared in the 12.40 at Cheltenham on Saturday.
 
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