Friday, March 01, 2013

Doncaster's Grimthorpe Chase 2013

I always try to conserve funds at this time of year, with Cheltenham just around the corner, so just the one suggestion from tomorrow's cards...

Twelve go to post in Doncaster's Grimthorpe Chase (2.55); the bottom three race from out of the handicap.

Both Calgary Bay and Join Together are tasked with giving significant weight to their opponents in a race where the winner has tended to come from those carrying less than 11 stones.

Join Together, second in the Becher at Aintree last December, looks to be using this as a stepping stone to the National. Paul Nicholls' charge heads the market followed by Emma Lavelle's Court By Surprise who won over three miles at this track on December 15th (beat Night In Milan, Corkage, Ikorodu Road, Quentin Collonges and Mr Moonshine that day); the negative is that was 77 days ago and the yard hasn't had a winner since.

Ikorudu Road is one that I like and he likes it here having won last year's runnng although he may have been slightly fortunate to benefit from the final fence fall of Pentiffic; he races off 138 tomorrow, a mark 8 lbs higher.

Trainer Keith Reveley thinks there isn't much between his pair, Corkage and Night In Milan. Both charges have mixed hurdling and chasing of late - in particular Corkage will need to establish a decent rhythm early as he tends to race up with the pace. The market clearly prefers Night In Milan (7/1) while Corkage is on offer at 14/1 in places.

Mr Moonshine was 38 lengths behind Court By Surprise in December but his subsequent second to Cape Tribulation (has gone on to win the Argento at Cheltenham and now quoted a 25/1 chance for the Gold Cup) in Wetherby's Rowland Meryck reads well.

Evan Williams' Mr Moss is possibly a liitle less exposed than some of these but has form behind Wyck Hill to his name and has had this as his target for some time.

At the prices, I'll take an each-way interest in last year's winner Ikorodu Road (10/1 Ladbrokes. Coral).

1 comment:

GeeDee said...

Henry Daly's Quentin Collonges (15/2) was ridden agressively from the front by Andrew Tinkler and the tactics worked a treat as several fancied runners failed to land a blow. Mr Moss (10/1) emerged as the sole serious threat to the long-time leader but Quentin quickened again when joined to win by half a length; connections reported that Mr Moss, who looked likely to win at one point, is not an easy ride.

Charlie Poste could be seen pushing some way from home on selection Ikorodu Road (12/1) but it apppeared jolly hard work. Although he made some headway he was never close enough to be competitive and was eventually run out third spot by 25/1 chance Beneficial Reform after the final flight.