Tag Archive for: classic chase

My Silver Lining clings on for brave Classic victory

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My Silver Lining hung on for victory in an exciting finish to the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick.

The three-mile-five-furlong heat proved a thorough test of stamina on soft ground and it was Emma Lavelle’s charge who emerged the victor in the hands of James Best.

Percussion was the first to really set sail for home but the two mares, Galia Des Liteaux and My Silver Lining, had the race to themselves in the straight.

My Silver Lining (17-2) had a couple of lengths in hand jumping the penultimate fence and still held a distinct advantage at the last, but Galia Des Liteaux was cutting into her lead with every stride on the flat.

However, the winning post arrived in time for My Silver Lining, who prevailed by three-quarters of a length, with the pair 12 lengths clear of third-placed Guetapan Collonges.

Best hailed it as a career highlight as My Silver Lining is owned by his mother-in-law Celia Djivanovic.

He said: “Emma, Barry (Fenton, assistant trainer) and the team at home have got her spot on for today and particularly Phoebe who rides her every day – she loves the mare more than me I think – and I’m just thrilled for all connections.

“I hadn’t fully gone for her and gave her a flick turning in just to keep her up to her work. I knew I was in front a long way from home and they can prick their ears have a look around, but I knew she would dig deep for me. As long as we jumped the last full of running, I was confident it would take a good one to get by us.

“With the family connection I think it is the best day of my career. It means that much that the whole family are here, my wife and my two boys. My mother-in-law loves her racing and I’m just so pleased to win a nice one for her. This is a very big race in it’s own right and the family connection makes it so special.”

The winning trainer was not in attendance but her husband and assistant, former jockey Barry Fenton, was at Warwick to witness My Silver Lining’s victory.

My Silver Lining and connections after big-race success at Warwick
My Silver Lining and connections after big-race success at Warwick (PA)

He added: “It’s a great day for James and I’m delighted for him. He gave her a lovely ride and a great ride all the way. He got into a nice position and got a nice rhythm and even though he committed early enough, he knew he had enough to get home. It was a great ride.

“What My Silver Lining lacks for in maybe a bit of class, she makes up for in honesty and simplicity, she’s just a solid mare.

“A Midlands National could be a possibility. It wasn’t like today was any great plan, she just worked her way into her position today. You would have to be thinking something like that because I think that is what she is all about – long-distance staying races, lots of fences and preferably testing ground to take a bit of the speed out of it.

“She’s so straightforward for those National type races and she’s not a boat. I remember when Shotgun Paddy won this, it was essential he had to get out of the gate because he was a slow horse, but My Silver Lining just has a bit more.”

Galia Des Liteaux had won the Grade Two Hampton Novices’ Chase on this card 12 months ago, but was having to settle for the silver medal this time around.

Galia Des Liteaux was a brave second in the Classic Chase
Galia Des Liteaux was a brave second in the Classic Chase (Nigel French/PA)

However, connections had no excuses after her strong staying performance and hinted at a Grand National entry for the likeable eight-year-old, who was attempting to concede 20lb to the winner.

“I think you would have to enter in the Grand National and see,” said Tom Messenger, assistant to Dan Skelton who is currently away on holiday.

“Credit to the winner, we obviously gave her a lot of weight but it is good to see two brave mares at the end of a race like that.

“She was staying on well and Harry (Skelton) just said she was running a bit awkwardly round the bend, but once he straightened her up, she stayed on again.

“I think if we keep her in these staying races, she has a good attitude and jumps well.”



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Ted Walsh has sights set on Warwick with Any Second Now

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Ted Walsh expects Any Second Now to be suited by conditions should he line up in Saturday’s Wigley Group Classic Chase at Warwick.

The 12-year-old is one of 21 entries for the three-mile-five-furlong feature, with his trainer eager to make an inaugural visit to the track as he seeks a winning opportunity for the veteran.

Any Second Now finished down the field on his return at Navan last month and after racing off a career-high mark of 167 in last year’s Grand National, his rating has now fallen to 148 in Ireland.

Any Second Now won the 2022 Bobbyjo Chase
Any Second Now won the 2022 Bobbyjo Chase (Brian Lawless/PA)

“I’ve never had a runner at Warwick, I’ve never been to Warwick, but it’s a race I’ve often watched. It suits the National-type of horse, it’s a lot of jumping and you really have to stay there which I think will suit him,” he told the Nick Luck Daily podcast.

“I’m very limited in what I can do here. He’s not good enough for the better races and I ran him at Navan off 150, but a lot of the races here are confined at 150 – he’s now 148.

“If I don’t go there, I’ll go to the Thyestes, but the Thyestes is very, very heavy ground and it’s competitive. Warwick is definitely on the agenda to go there.”

Having finished third at Aintree in 2021 and second in 2022, Any Second Now is a 33-1 shot with bet365 for this year’s marathon, but Walsh feels his chance of National glory has gone.

Any Second Now was beaten by Noble Yeats in the 2022 Grand National
Any Second Now was beaten by Noble Yeats in the 2022 Grand National (Steven Paston/PA)

He said: “He’s now 12 years of age – he’s a pensioner. I haven’t any aspiration of him being a live contender for the National anymore, but I think he’s quite capable of winning a race somewhere.

“I need a lot of help (from the handicapper). He’s been a very good, consistent horse and he’s always run a good race but he’s not what he used to be, which you wouldn’t expect, and he crawled up the handicap through his good runs in the National.

“I don’t honestly think he was ever quite as high as the English handicapper rated him, he was up in the 160s at one stage. I never thought he was a Grade One horse.

“He’s a good handicapper and can win a Grade Three chase. He’s been a great servant and I’d like to think there’s another race in him somewhere and I put him in at Warwick because I think the conditions of the race will suit.”

Walsh was “absolutely shocked” last year when the British Horseracing Authority’s chase handicapper Martin Greenwood allotted Any Second Now top-weight for the National with a mark of 167, a rating the trainer still feels was inflated.

Ted Walsh was
Ted Walsh was “absolutely shocked” by Any Second Now’s National weight in 2023 (Brian Lawless/PA)

He added: “We don’t always agree with Martin Greenwood, but we’re on the other side of the fence and whatever he gives us, we would think he could give us a few pounds less, that’s the way it is.

“I didn’t think in the National last year, I’ve a good memory and he isn’t the calibre of horses I saw carry top-weight and run well in the National, the likes of L’Escargot, Crisp and Red Rum – he never was of that calibre.

“It’s up to Martin Greenwood to assess him, but I honestly thought he had what he had, but I think he wasn’t within 7lb of those horses.”

Monbeg Genius after winning at Chepstow last season
Monbeg Genius after winning at Chepstow last season (PA)

While the ante-post market for the National is still in its formative stages, a couple of those prominent in the betting are also pencilled in for Warwick.

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained Monbeg Genius leads the way as a 20-1 chance for Aintree, with the Dan Skelton-trained Galia Des Liteaux a 40-1 chance along with Malina Girl, who could be another Irish raider for Gavin Cromwell.

Other key names possible for Warwick include Beauport, Rowland Meyrick winner Fontaine Collonges, last season’s Midlands National hero Major Dundee and Guetapan Collonges, who finished fourth in last year’s renewal.



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Iwilldoit overcomes long absence with Classic display at Warwick

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Iwilldoit defied a huge weight and a monster absence to win the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase for Sam Thomas.

Thomas who along with prominent owner Dai Walters was involved in a helicopter crash in November, was celebrating his first winner of the calendar year.

Winner of the Welsh National last season, Thomas and connections have had to be patient as the 10-year-old suffered a setback.

Having his first outing for 383 days, Iwilldoit travelled incredibly well in the hands of Stan Sheppard.

It was Threeunderthrufive, one of only two in the race carrying more weight than the winner, who hit the front going down the back straight for the final time – but Sheppard was still sitting pretty.

He sent him to the front turning for home and looked a class apart as he soon put distance between himself and the others.

Willie Mullins’ Mr Incredible stayed on for second, beaten two and three-quarter lengths, with Notachance third.

Racing off a 7lb-higher mark than that which he won off at Chepstow, the 12-1 winner now looks a real Aintree contender.

Paddy Power introduced him at 25-1 for the Grand National.

“We didn’t get him in till a bit later unfortunately and he missed the Welsh National. But he’s eating well and we can train him a bit differently now,” said Thomas.

Sam Thomas and Stan Sheppard lift the Classic Chase trophy
Sam Thomas and Stan Sheppard lift the Classic Chase trophy (Nigel French/PA)

“Before the Welsh National last year he was hardly ridden. I’m just delighted for everyone. It’s emotional.

“He’s notoriously been a fussy eater and a worrier, but as the years have gone on he’s matured and knows what his job is – he’s certainly easier to train than he was.

“They are his conditions (heavy), the speed he was going at the start was the same speed he was going at the end, he’s very one-paced. It’s nice we can come and have a go in these big races, the softer the better for him and it is nice to see he is still able to win off that mark.

“He’s a star, he’s very genuine. You won’t find another horse to try like him – it’s very straightforward when then want to do it just like him.

“Credit to Stan who gave him a great ride and well done to team and Leah (Dix) who rides him every day. That’s what we do the job for and it is nice we can come here and take on the big boys and have a go.

“We had a good start to the season, from November onwards for obvious reasons (the crash) we struggled a bit. It’s not an easy game and you need these big winners to keep the wheel turning.”

Of an Aintree bid he said: “I don’t know, he needs another run over fences, he’s still not qualified to run in the Grand National. It’s been a whirlwind season so far, so we’ll enjoy this today and go from there.

“Maybe the Grand Steeple-Chase (French Grand National) in May would be an option. That’s what I was thinking before I came here today and you would get heavy ground. You need a Gold Cup horse to win that, but he could go and pick up some prize money.

“He would have to get an entry (for Aintree) though.”

Sheppard, who made it a double on the day when winning the last, described it as one of the biggest days in his career, with most of his other big-race glory coming behind closed doors while Covid restrictions were in place.

Stan Sheppard celebrates winning The Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase on Iwildoit during the Wigley Group Classic Chase Day at Warwick Racecourse
Stan Sheppard celebrates winning The Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase on Iwildoit during the Wigley Group Classic Chase Day at Warwick Racecourse (Nigel French/PA)

He said: “It would be right up there with the Welsh National and Betfair Hurdle, it wouldn’t be far behind them and there were people here this time, so it slightly nudges it up past the Welsh National perhaps.

“It’s a fair training performance that is. I don’t know what he will do now as he isn’t qualified to run in the National, but to win that off 147, you are probably looking at 150 plus now and the Midlands National off that looks tough.”

On his celebration when crossing the line, he added: “There were no people at Chepstow and there was today. I know how much it means to everyone, they put all the hard work at home and I just get the good 10 minutes.”



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Guetapan Collonges steps up in intriguing Classic Chase

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Guetapan Collonges looks to prove his stamina in the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

The Charlie Longsdon-trained gelding has been rising through the ranks since graduating to steeplechasing, winning three of his past four outings over fences with the sole loss caused by a fall.

He has been incrementally stepped up in trip and will progress to an even longer distance in the three-mile-five-furlong Classic Chase.

Bred along the same lines at Grand National winner Neptune Collonges, staying power should be no issue for the gelding and under a relative featherweight of 10st 3lb, he lines up with a live chance.

“I’m looking forward to see him going, to be honest. It is a step up in class, but he seems very fit and well in himself,” Longsdon said.

“It is a big ask. A big step up in grade, but he is in a handicap, so it can’t be the wrong race.”

Guetapan Collonges has track form under his belt having won at Warwick last time, and has jumped with increasingly fluency as his career has progressed.

“He produced a nice run at Warwick last time, especially since he over-jumped the last and stumbled a bit and got back up and won nicely, going away,” said Longsdon

“I’m looking forward to it. He is the sort of horse for all those Nationals and he stays all day, but there is nothing set in stone. He is that sort of horse – a National horse.”

Adrian Heskin and Threeunderthrufive
Adrian Heskin and Threeunderthrufive (Tim Goode/PA)

Carrying top-weight is Paul Nicholls’ Threeunderthrufive, whose Coral Gold Cup bid came to an premature end when he unseated Adrian Heskin at the first fence.

An alternative run in the Welsh Grand National did not come to fruition as he was felt to be a little off his best when declarations were made, but connections are hoping he will develop in a National horse and that Warwick is a successful stepping stone to that target.

Iain Turner, racing manager to owners the McNeill family, said: “He’s in really good shape. Ideally he wouldn’t want to be carrying 12st in what is increasingly bad ground, but he doesn’t qualify for Taunton next week, for the Portman Cup, so we need to get cracking with him.

“Possibly his best novice chase appearance was on the same card last year, when he won the Grade Two (Hampton Novices’ Chase).

“Ever since he won at Cheltenham as a novice chaser, Paul said he was a National horse in time and I think that what we always had in mind.

“Newbury didn’t go to plan. It will be interesting as this is handicap company and quite a big field, bigger than most of the races he’s run in so far. These are all things he’s going to have to learn if he’s going to be going for a National.”

Iwilldoit and Stan Sheppard
Iwilldoit and Stan Sheppard (David Davies/PA)

Sam Thomas’ Iwilldoit will run for the first time in over a year as he teams up with jockey Stan Sheppard.

The 10-year-old won the 2021 Welsh Grand National when last seen, proving his stamina at Chepstow in testing ground.

A comeback victory would be especially significant for the Thomas stable as the trainer was involved in a helicopter crash in November along with owner Dai Walters.

“To win this for Sam would be great given everything that has gone on in his life over the last few months,” Sheppard said.

“Stolen Silver hit the cross bar for him at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and hopefully we can go one better and give him another big-race winner.

“It was a very good day last season winning the Welsh Grand National. It was worth getting down to 10st 4lb, which I hadn’t done for a long time.

“In races like this you need a lot of luck to go your way as more things can go right than wrong.”

Chris Honour is represented by Grumpy Charley, an eight-year-old last seen claiming a tough win in soft ground at Newbury.

Grumpy Charley and Bryan Carver (left)
Grumpy Charley and Bryan Carver (left) (Nigel French/PA)

The grey seemed to relish both the conditions and the three-mile-two-furlong trip, and a repeat performance under James Bowen make him a contender on ground currently described as heavy.

“It wasn’t the plan to go to go here, we were going to go for the Peter Marsh next week but the weather’s not looking great,” Honour said.

“He feels very well in himself, he’s eating very well and so we thought we’d take a chance.

“When things are in his favour he’s very good. He loves soft ground, three-mile-five in heavy ground is going to be hard work, but if he runs like the last day… He was really galloping for us and he didn’t come home excessively tired.

Grumpy Charley during his hurdling days
Grumpy Charley during his hurdling days (David Davies/PA)

“It’s not ideal, 14 days in between races, but sometimes you’ve got to go with what you’ve got and he’s very well at home.

“We’ll take our chances, the prize money is there and you can’t begrudge the prize money if you don’t go for it when it is there! We’re hopeful.”

Willie Mullins sends Mr Incredible over from Ireland, with Richard Hobson set to run Lord Du Mesnil and Ben Pauling fielding Nestor Park.

Venetia Williams’ Commodore will line up along with Henry Daly’s Fortescue and Sandy Thomson’s Dingo Dollar.



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Iwilldoit all set for Classic Chase return at Warwick

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Stan Sheppard will take the reins when Iwilldoit makes a long-awaited comeback in the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

The Sam Thomas-trained gelding was last seen winning the Welsh Grand National in late 2021, a nine-length success with Sheppard in the saddle.

At Warwick the 10-year-old will return from a lengthy absence to tackle the three-mile five-furlong trip of the Classic Chase.

“He has had 383 days off the track but I believe Sam will get him there in the best order he can. We go there with a lively chance I would like to think,” said Sheppard.

“I’ve not sat him in the run up to the race. I leave it to Sam and his team with what they do with him at home but everything I’ve heard has been good and positive.

Iwilldoit and Stan Sheppard in the Welsh Grand National
Iwilldoit and Stan Sheppard in the Welsh Grand National (David Davies/PA)

“Three-miles-five around a galloping track should suit him. There is nothing in there where you think ‘crikey that might take a bit of stopping’ and if anything it could be that Iwilldoit could be the one to take some stopping.”

Declarations for the race also include Paul Nicholls’ Threeunderthrufive, who will carry a top weight of 12 stone, and Sandy Thomson’s veteran Dingo Dollar.

Richard Hobson has Lord Du Mesnil on the list, with Henry Daly’s Fortescue and Chris Honour’s Grumpy Charley also declared.

There is a sole Irish entrant in the shape of Willie Mullins’ Mr Incredible, while Venetia Williams is represented by Commodore and Ben Pauling will saddle Nestor Park.

Charlie Longsdon has a key contender in Guetapan Collonges while Alan King’s Notachance, Emma Lavelle’s Wouldubewell, Gail Haywood’s Grand Mogul and Sheila Lewis’ Volcano complete the field.



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