Run at Doncaster the Sky Bet Chase (registered as the Great Yorkshire Chase) is a Listed Handicap run over 3m.
The 2019 Sky Bet Chase produced a decisive result when the ever prominent Go Conquer beat his rivals by an impressive six lengths. The runner-up (Monbeg River), the third (Calipto) and the sixth (Dingo Dollar) from that race all reoppose again this year.
Trainer Alan King has a fine record in this race in recent years, winning it twice with Ziga Boy in 2016 and 2017. This year he saddles Dingo Dollar, Azzerti and Good Man Pat.
Sky Bet Chase: Trends
- Age - 9 of the last 10 winners were aged between 7 & 9.
- Weight - 9 of the last 10 winners carried 11-02 or less.
- Official Rating - 9 of the last 10 winners were rated 145 or less.
- Recent Runs - 8 of the last 10 winners finished in the first 3 in 1 of their last 2 starts.
- Last Time Out - All of the last 10 winners came here with a break of at least 25 days.
- Season Runs (Since November 1st) - All of the last 10 winners had between 1 & 3 runs.
- Distance - 9 of the last 10 winners had previously won over 3 miles or further.
- Price - The average winning SP in the last 10 renewals is 9/1 in horse racing odds.
- Favourites - Only two favourites have won in the last 10 renewals.
- Irish Bred – 6 of the last 10 winners were bred in Ireland.
Fourteen runners go to post on Saturday and here is our runner-by-runner guide:
Ok Corral (Nicky Henderson)
Last season's Hampton Novices' Chase winner will need to put a disappointing run in the Ladbrokes Trophy behind him if he is to figure under joint-top weight here.
The ten-year-old is reunited with his winning jockey from last January, Derek O’Connor.
Calipto (Venetia Williams)
Venetia Williams has never won this race but she will be hoping to remedy that with Calipto, who was a decent third in this contest last year.
Since accounting for Black Corton in last year’s Swinley Chase he has failed to sparkle in his two runs since, but may have just needed his Chepstow return.
Dingo Dollar (Alan King)
Dingo Dollar was went off the favourite for this race last year but could only manage sixth place and he is well fancied again this term.
He ran with credit to finish fifth behind De Rasher Counter, beaten just over eight lengths in the Ladbrokes Trophy and is probably King’s number one here.
Burbank (Nicky Henderson)
The Trevor Hemmings-owned gelding was a nine-length winner of a novice handicap chase at Newbury last month and looks a very interesting prospect going forward.
He has as an entry in the Golden Miller at The Festival after this so is worth watching out for.
Cobra De Mai (Dan Skelton)
7lb claimer William Marshall takes the ride on this Skelton runner which for many is a tip in itself for the eight-year-old, who has been the subject of a famous horse racing gamble this week.
His bare form figures don’t look like anything to write home about but he is very well handicapped in this heat.
Quarenta (Jonjo O’Neill)
The Jonjo’s team up here with the rather quirky Quarenta who was last seen finishing a close head second to Just A Sting at Kempton.
He will almost certainly see out the trip and will not be inconvenienced by the going either.
Solomon Grey (Dan Skelton)
Finished tailed-off in 1965 Chase won by Cyrname at Ascot last time but this is a more realistic target for the consistently placed grey.
The step up in trip may be of some concern however.
Azzerti (Alan King)
Azzerti made a winning reappearance when just edging out Chef d'Equipe in a ding-donger at Newbury and ran a reasonable enough race in the Ascot Silver Cup last time.
Jockey Adrian Heskin regularly goes well on these McNeill family horses and a big run is expected on Saturday.
Looksnowtlikebrian (Tim Vaughan)
He looked to have a big future in staying handicaps after he scooted up at Carlisle in November 2018 but has failed to show anything like that form since.
He has the potential to be a sleeping giant in this field but he needs to bounce back very quickly.
Good Man Pat (Alan King)
This horse featured in quite a few “horses to follow” guides a couple of seasons ago and the seven-year-old might just have his optimum conditions at Doncaster this weekend.
His fourth to Militarian and Ascot was highly encouraging and the 7lb jockey allowance that will be coming off his back will be highly advantageous too.
Chidswell (Nicky Richards)
A veteran performer who still appears to be at the top of his game after finishing runner-up in a competitive Veterans’ Chase at Kelso last time.
He was the winner of the 888sport Grimthorpe Chase here last season, accounting easily for Dingo Dollar, so has to be taken very seriously. Champion jumps jockey “elect”, Brian Hughes takes the ride.
Ravenhill Road (Sue Smith)
Winner of an eight-runner handicap at Haydock last time by two lengths from Gold Opera and comes into this race on a very attractive weight.
Danny Cook and Sue Smith have been firing in plenty of winners of late and Smith won this race in 2018 with Wakanda.
Fingerontheswitch (Neil Mulholland)
He was successful just a fortnight ago in a trappy event at Kempton, scoring by 10 lengths from Touch Kick.
The ten-year-old has races 42 times under Rules, winning 8 of them, and cannot be dismissed lightly.
Monbeg River (Martin Todhunter)
The eleven-year-old is a prominent front runner who tends to run pretty well after a fairly long break.
On this occasion he has had 90 days off and will be hoping to go one better than last year when he finished a gallant runner-up to Go Conquer.
Sky Bet Chase: Prediction
This is a thoroughly open renewal of the Great Yorkshire Chase and the market is full of each-way value in my opinion.
I really believe Good Man Pat (nap) can come of age in this race and Alexander Thorne (7) is a very promising conditional jockey.
Chidswell (nb) won the Grimthorpe Chase here over a further distance than this and must come into the reckoning.
888sport suggests: Good Man Pat and Chidswell (e/w)
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Darron Cummings / AP Photo*
