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The 2026 Peter Marsh Handicap Chase

Ian_Davies

Ian_Davies

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When this Haydock Park race was first created, it immediately grabbed my attention.

I'd seen Little Owl win at Doncaster in the December and he then landed this on his way to winning the 1981 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Bregawn won this the following year, while running up a bit of a sequence (easier under the old three-week entry system) and then finished runner up to stable mate Silver Buck at Cheltenham before winning the Gold Cup himself in 1983, The Thinker (a former Midlands National winner btw) did the Peter Marsh/Gold Cup double in 1987 and Jodami did the same in 1993.

The proliferation of Jumps Pattern contests means the race has lost that lustre nowadays and it's no longer a Limited Handicap either.

But it's still a decent race, it looks the main event to me, handicap wise, next Saturday and I'm hoping for a decent entry and ante-post betting tomorrow.
 
The relatively low number of entries shows that it would not have a been a good idea to try to reschedule the abandoned Classic Chase from Warwick this week. There are enough opportunities in good staying handicap chases for the horses able to run in them. As I see it Jacks Parrot ( rated 118 ) could be ineligible if Royale Pagaille ( rated 159 ) is declared to run.

Only 6 runners on typically heavy ground in 1993 when Jodami won with one running from 56 pounds out of the limited handicap so the problem with small field sizes isn't a recent one.
 
My reading of Richmond's 3rd last year is he does stay. An ex-Hemming horse, that's what he would have been bought for originally.

Assuming Mr Vango and Silver don't turn up (not soft enough), and Grand Geste goes to Donny...then on paper there's an argument that Richmond 'only' has Johnny and Myretown to beat.

Logically, he'd struggle to beat Myretown (as the potential only proper class act in a field of handicappers, Johnny included). But 25s in a race that could cut up pretty heavily between now and Saturday does look interesting. Brian Hughes down to ride, and McCain is following close on the same route as last year to get him to the race ready to show best. Evidence suggests he runs.
 
chaumi said:
My reading of Richmond's 3rd last year is he does stay. An ex-Hemming horse, that's what he would have been bought for originally.

Assuming Mr Vango and Silver don't turn up (not soft enough), and Grand Geste goes to Donny...then on paper there's an argument that Richmond 'only' has Johnny and Myretown to beat.

Logically, he'd struggle to beat Myretown (as the potential only proper class act in a field of handicappers, Johnny included). But 25s in a race that could cut up pretty heavily between now and Saturday does look interesting. Brian Hughes down to ride, and McCain is following close on the same route as last year to get him to the race ready to show best. Evidence suggests he runs.
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I looked at last year's race again, and it seemed a little inconclusive. It felt like Brian Hughes didn't dare test his stamina too much by putting him into a race with Mr Vango too far out, and so he wasn't truly tested ... He did seem to stay on at the end though.
Inconclusive but not enough to put one off 25/1.
 
I haven't looked at the race yet but am wondering if there is another 'half-mill' bonus race coming up that Myretown might be more likely to target? I don't think this race has that bonus.

Edit - just googled it. The Haydock National Trial. I don't know when that is, if it's before or after the weights are framed. After might be too late as it won't make the cut. Before might mean the Peter Marsh is just about keeping it ticking over, possibly running well enough to go up 3lbs or so.

But if the Classic bonus was the plan, I'd imagine the bonus was a serious factor in the big picture.
 
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Desert Orchid said:
I haven't looked at the race yet but am wondering if there is another 'half-mill' bonus race coming up that Myretown might be more likely to target? I don't think this race has that bonus.

Edit - just googled it. The Haydock National Trial. I don't know when that is, if it's before or after the weights are framed. After might be too late as it won't make the cut. Before might mean the Peter Marsh is just about keeping it ticking over, possibly running well enough to go up 3lbs or so.

But if the Classic bonus was the plan, I'd imagine the bonus was a serious factor in the big picture.
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GN entries date - 3 February
GN Trial at Haydock Park - 14 February
GN weights announced - 17 February

( As an extra the date for entries for the Cheltenham Festival handicaps is February 17 with the weights being announced a week afterwards. )
Info found on the ROA website.
 
That PM form should prove useful.

Imperial Saint was well in on its form with Cruz Control at Aintree, Richmond Lake on his best form of last season and even more so on his form of the season before and Konfusion is on a steep curve (and also holds a Gold Cup entry).

The big question is whether Myretown would have held on if he hadn't ploughed through the second last but I'm not sure Fox was a lot of help to him after that.

Myretown now really needs to win the Grand National Trial back here next month otherwise he won't make the cut.
 
I didn't have a bet in the PM. Between the stable form and lack of £500k bonus, I wasn't sure if Myretown was 100% there to win and I couldn't back anything with any confidence to beat him.

In fact it wasn't a betting day really [for me].

My only bet is a win treble Old Park Star, Vincenzo and Il Etait Temps and knowing my luck it will be the 2/5 shot that gets it beat.

One thing that did please me somewhat was Vincenzo sticking it right up Chapman who had the horse down as a shiter. A shiter would not have won that race.
 

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