The 2026 Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at Doncaster

The 2026 Cheltenham Festival is nearly upon us. Last year I seem to recall the starters having more trouble starting than I used to have with a Vauxhall Viva bought in 1979. 

It's quite a long time since I've embraced this particular challenge but punters who travel to Cheltenham by train - thereby avoiding problems with a car that won't start -  and then opt to walk to the track - an undertaking that necessitates a lengthy stopover at The Rotunda to take on board ample liquid refreshment for the trials that lie ahead - usually turn right out of the station forecourt and then walk straight past Eldorado Road (leading to Eldorado Crescent). 

When I was younger, you know, I used to think how aptly named that road was...

Anyway, I couldn't get started on the Morebattle Hurdle (2.55 Kelso) so I've spent a bit of time on the Grimthorpe (2.30 Doncaster) instead. 

The going on the chase course is described as good to soft; heavy rain is forecast overnight and a number in this field wouldn't want to see conditions deteriorate any further.

Moroder won the 2023 running of this race off 131 carrying 10-2 and last year's renewal off 125 carrying 10-7 (Some Scope pulled up after a bad mistake). This year Moroder goes off a mark of 120 yet carries 10-11 - which only serves to highlight a drop in quality.

Earlier today top weight King's Threshold was at the head of the market but this evening Emma Lavelle's charge has relinquished top spot to Dartmoor Pirate. 

King's Threshold won the Mandarin at Newbury just after Christmas off 131 and has since missed a couple of potential engagements - the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase at this track five weeks ago and then the Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot a fortnight ago - on account of soft ground.

Writing in this week's RP Weekender the trainer says:

"...King's Threshold showed himself a progressive chaser when winning the Mandarin at Newbury in December and, although that was nearly two months ago, he remains in good form.

"He doesn't overdo himself at home, he never stops eating, so I don't think being ready to run for a while will have sent him over the top. And I've long thought there's a big race in him."

Dartmoor Pirate won the aforementioned Great Yorkshire, beating New Order three and threequarters lengths - initially he appeared outpaced up the home straight before staying on stoutly to win with something in hand. 

Anthony Honeyball's charge has two furlongs further to travel here; the gelding has won both chase starts with a tongue-tie fitted.

New Order reopposes five pounds better off. He was left in the lead when Joyeux Machin, five lengths clear, came to grief at the final open ditch and Charlie Longsdon's charge looked to tire coming to the final flight.

His previous third behind Herakles Westwood and Katate Dori over three miles one and a half furlongs at Cheltenham reads well.

Jasmin De Grugy, stablemate of Dartmoor Pirate, wasn't foot perfect behind Herakles Westwood that day.

Hampered by the fall of Excello on the first circuit, he was towards the rear when coming to grief on the second circuit. Prior to that he'd finished fourth behind Konfusion in the Rehearsal at Newcastle; connections fit cheekpieces for the first time. 

On his penultimate start just after Christmas Some Scope, sporting a first time visor, made all to win a three mile handicap chase at Doncaster (Moroder third, beaten 12 lengths). 

Next time the visor was left off in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham where he raced in rear throughout, beaten over 70 lengths. 

After that race the vet reported the gelding had lost his left fore shoe and suffered a small overreach on his left fore leg. Four days later he underwent wind surgery.

Neil Mulholland saddles three; comments on each runner from the recent Straight from the Stable article [RP Weekender 04-08.02.26] are reproduced below.

Kelce

"He finished second at Aintree on Boxing Day behind Fortunate Man and then won at Musselburgh on Saturday [31.01.26]. He's had three wins now for us and is a good, solid horse. He's just creeping up a little bit in the ratings now, which might just allow us to get into a couple of those nicer 3m handicap chases off bottom weight. He's going the right way." 

Broomfields Cave

"He won last time out on Boxing Day at Wincanton. The third horse, Jupiter Allen, came out and won again last week [29.01.26], so the form is working out well. The ground would just be a little bit soft for him at present, but once we get a bit of proper good to soft ground again he'll be out. He's a nice staying chaser and there'll be plenty more to come from him."

Lord Accord

"We're just waiting for the ground really. He's a very solid horse and my top earner this season. He's run 37 times, winning nine and been second on six occasions. He's won more than £165,000 in prize money. He was second last time at Ascot in the Berkshire National and was in good order, giving a good account of himself. There's no reason why he can't continue to do so in the spring time when he gets his ground. He could go for the Kim Muir at the festival."

To my mind Destroytheevidence didn't see out this trip - admittedly on heavy ground - at Wincanton last month.

King Turgeon is back down to 133, his last winning mark. When last seen he finished sixth behind Blaze The Way at Cheltenham in December - nine lengths behind Herakles Westwood in fourth at level weights. 

Theformismighty bounced back to form at Newcastle last month and has only gone up three pounds.

Around this time last year, conceding 13 pounds, he was beaten a head by New Order in a novices' handicap chase at Wetherby; mighty form indeed. 

However, in between those two efforts, there have been a couple of real stinkers; he tries a trip beyond three miles for the first time.  

Jubilant's fifth behind Montregard at Ascot in November - beaten just over eight lengths - is worth a quick mention, given Montregard finished second to subsequent Reynoldstown winner The Jukebox Kid in January; to date James Owen's charge has form mostly in Class 4 handicap chases.

All of which leads back to our old friend Moroder - 12 years of age and still going strong. 

He was returned at 18/1 when he won in 2023 and 33/1 last year, both renewals run on good ground. If he gets into a jumping rhythm up front...

New Order's form stacks up well but at the prices I'm going to take a chance on Broomfields Cave who was highlighted by Neil Clark as the 'reporter's pick' in that referenced Straight from the Stable article; Bradley Harris claims three pounds.

Broomfields Cave is the each-way suggestion, at the time of writing 10/1 generally with the layers paying four places, but Ladbrokes and Coral stand out offering 11/1.   

The 2025 Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster

Fourteen were originally declared for tomorrow's renewal of the Grimthorpe but King Turgeon is now a non-runner, leaving thirteen to face the starter at 3.15; the going on the chase course is currently described as good, good to soft in places.

King Turgeon was one of three runners I thought might prefer more cut underfoot, the other two being Surrey Quest and, possibly, Undersupervision.

Back in 2022 the ground was soft underfoot when Undersupervision, six years old at the time, beat Mister Malarky in this race off a mark of 132; it remains the only chase the gelding has won in 18 attempts and was the first time a horse younger than eight had come home in front since Knight Templar won in 2000.

In the 2023 renewal Moroder, racing from one pound out of the handicap proper, pipped Undersupervision a neck on good ground. 

In last year's renewal only two of the ten to start completed with Does He Know staying on dourly under top weight to deny Some Scope; Undersupervision was pulled up.

It's no surprise to see Some Scope at the head of the market on ground he's likely to appreciate and a mark just two pounds higher than last year. 

On his penultimate start he had the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby in safe-keeping approaching the last, although Charlie Maggs' seven pound claim meant he was receiving 21 pounds from runner-up Kinondo Kwetu.

Undersupervision is one of three runners for Nigel Twiston-Davies.

According to the market Weveallbeencaught is the yard's best chance, with son Sam in the plate. 

The horse spent some time with Christian Williams in the autumn but returned to Naunton in January and beat Rock My Way in a five-runner novice handicap at this track five weeks ago. 

He made most that day; watching a replay, I thought his jumping was safe rather than assured on occasions although he appeared to warm to the task in hand as the race progressed. This represents a stiffer test.

I've as much time for stablemate The Kniphand whose third behind Monbeg Genius and Richmond Lake on soft ground at Uttoxeter last time reads well.

This one went into my notebook back at the beginning of October when he won a three mile novice handicap on good, good to firm ground, at Southwell, beating the previous course record by (an astonishing) 12 seconds. 

I've checked that again; the results section from the RP Weekender states:

"An extremely fast time, 12 secs faster than the previous course record."  

There were a number of fast times recorded that day: Nevendon won the opener in just over a second under standard, and both Harry's Hope and Sunshine Diamond also established new course records.

Still... Food for thought, as they say.

Last time out White Rhino ran in the Kauto Star at Kempton on Boxing Day; he wasn't too slick at the first and then made a mistake at the third, unseating Henry Brooke in the process. 

Unexposed, he could prove better than these but with just three chase starts to his name I'm not tempted. Although he won a three mile handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in December 2023, much of his racing to date has been over a shorter trip.

It looks as though connections of top weight Twig have been trying to take advantage of a more lenient hurdle mark with three runs over the smaller obstacles so far this term.

This one tends to race up with the pace; his second behind Chianti Classico in last year's Ultima reads well, as does his win in the 2023 Uttoxeter Summer Cup. 

Trainer Ben Pauling has indicated the horse needs to run once to qualify for this season's Grand National and this is that run. His chance is respected. 

Surrey Quest holds an entry in the Aintree Grand National and, should he fail to make the cut, the Scottish National will be the target, a race in which he was beaten a nose by Macdermott last April.

Writing in the RP Weekender [12-16.02.25], handler Toby Lawes said:

"He has a Grand National entry but I don't think he'll get in.

"He probably had to win at Musselburgh to give us a live chance (finished third behind Magna Sam in the Edinburgh National), but we'll see. We've always got the Scottish National, in which he was beaten only a nose last year. That's always been plan A for this season and I'd think he'd have a serious chance in that. 

"I'll probably consider something like the Grimthorpe for his next run... 

"If he's sound and well, I'd be very happy to get another run into him and something like the Grimthorpe wouldn't be a marathon slog either."   

Hymac finished second behind Henry's Friend in the Mandarin at Newbury (Surrey Quest unseated rider) but the in-running comment 'Didn't always jump with fluency' tells its own tale. Connections will hope the fitting of first-time cheekpieces will help the cause.

Erne River, Fidelio Vallis and Lord Baddesley are runners who wouldn't be guaranteed to see out the trip. 

The last-named moved to from Chris Gordon to Anthony Honeyball's yard at the beginning of November and looks feasibly treated from a handicapping perspective but hasn't won for two years.

Outsider Monte Igueldo hasn't won since he moved down the road from Oliver Greenall to Gary Hanmer's yard in Tattenhall, Cheshire. 

His third at odds of 125/1 in last year's Summer Cup at Uttoxeter behind Hang In There reads well, as does his second behind Kinondo Kwetu over the same course and distance four weeks later.

On a couple of lines through Kinondo Kwetu that admittedly wouldn't stand up to too much close scrutiny - in this season's Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby -  he's entitled to be competitive with Some Scope. 

Although seventh behind Victtorino over three miles at Ascot two weeks ago, he was beaten under eight lengths and the time before, when third at Bangor on soft ground, he raced without the declared tongue-tie. 

More than likely at some stage in tomorrow's proceedings he'll be outpaced but, if first-time cheekpieces help, he can outrun odds of 40/1.

Plenty of imponderables but I like The Kniphand from a stable in form; Finn Lambert claims three and has been on board for four of the gelding's five victories to date.

The Kniphand is the each-way suggestion, 10/1 generally at the time of writing with most layers paying four places.