Tag Archive for: grimthorpe chase

Bailey thrilled with ‘extraordinary’ Grimthorpe performance of Does He Know

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Does He Know put up a tremendous weight-carrying performance to provide trainer Kim Bailey with a third victory in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster.

Although a four-time winner over fences, including Grade Two and Grade Three triumphs at Ascot and Cheltenham respectively, Does He Know was a 20-1 shot for his latest assignment having failed to trouble the judge in three previous starts this season.

The nine-year-old also had the burden of 12st on his back and had to concede upwards of 11lb to each of his nine rivals, but bounced back to his best under a buccaneering ride from David Bass.

The three-mile-two-furlong contest was not for the faint hearted, with eight of the 10 runners failing to complete the course.

Some Scope, the 3-1 favourite to complete his hat-trick following recent wins at Catterick and at this track, looked to have been delivered with a perfectly-timed challenge halfway up the home straight by Gavin Sheehan, but try as he might he was unable to reel in Does He Know, who stuck to his guns to claim top honours by just over three lengths.

Bailey, who has previously won the Grimthorpe with Shraden Leader in 1994 and The Last Samuri in 2016, said: “We very much hoped he would do that. He was the best horse in the race, the rain definitely helped us and we were very hopeful he would run a smashing race.

“He’s got some very good form. He’s a very hard horse to place and we’ve run him in two races this season we knew he had no chance in but there weren’t any alternatives.

“It has always been the plan to run in this race and it was unbelievably good performance with 12st on his back in that ground, it was extraordinary.

“I’m really pleased for the owners and everybody involved because we’ve had a shocking old winter really. The horses haven’t been wrong, but we’ve got very few horses that go in this ground.”

Trainer Kim Bailey was delighted with Does He Know's performance
Trainer Kim Bailey was delighted with Does He Know’s performance (David Davies/PA)

Does He Know holds an entry in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter in a fortnight’s time, but will not take up that engagement.

“He won’t go there, definitely not. He doesn’t have to run again this season, but if he does it will either be the Whitbread (bet365 Gold Cup) or the Scottish National, I would think,” Bailey added.

“He’s had a hard race today, so he’ll want a bit of time to get over that.”

Pinot Rouge (20-1) provided Northumberland-based trainer Susan Corbett with the most notable success of her training career so far in the Tips For Every Race At raceday-ready.com Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, narrowly outpointing Irish raider Ottizzini by half a length under Edward Austin.

Corbett said: “I hoped we’d be in the first half of the field because although she’s not got a lot of speed, she grinds away and loves the soft ground.

“On her first run for us she was flying home when she was third and while she’s doesn’t show that at home, the boys that ride her say when you ask her she gives a little bit more.

“If we’d been third today I would have been delighted, so to finish first I’m somewhere on the ceiling I think! We’ve never won a Listed race before or anything near it, so the whole team at home are thrilled to bits.

“She’ll probably have a little break and if the ground is still like it is now in say four weeks she’ll run again, if not we’ll put away because I think novice chasing will be her game next season.”

Homme Public was a 3-1 winner of the Free Digital Racecard At raceday-ready.com Handicap Chase for the formidable training partnership of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, while Curley Finger (2-1 favourite) denied stablemate Floueur by a diminishing nose when leading home a one-two for trainer Rebecca Menzies in the Download The Raceday Ready App Handicap Hurdle.



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Cooper’s Cross chasing Grimthorpe gold

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Stuart Coltherd’s Cooper’s Cross will bid for back-to-back Doncaster successes when he lines up for the Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase on Saturday.

The eight-year-old landed the Sky Bet Chase at Town Moor at the end of January, defeating Christian Williams’ Cap Du Nord by a length at 16-1.

Cap Du Nord went on to land the Swinley Chase at Ascot on his next start, meanwhile Cooper’s Cross was given an increased rating of 133 for his victory – a rise of 5lb.

Even with that rise the gelding is still well-handicapped and will carry only 10st 4lb when he takes on seven rivals.

“I couldn’t be happier with him, really,” the trainer said.

Cooper’s Cross winning the Sky Bet Chase
Cooper’s Cross winning the Sky Bet Chase (Richard Sellers/PA)

“He seems in really good heart and we’re all looking forward to Saturday.”

The Grimthorpe is run over three miles and two furlongs, an extension on the three-mile trip Cooper’s Cross prevailed over last time.

Coltherd felt his horse was staying on in the Sky Bet, however, and is not expecting the added distance to cause any problems on ground that is largely unchanged since his last run.

“I don’t think two extra furlongs will bother him, he was staying on well the last day, so I think he should handle it fine,” he said.

“The ground can’t be that much different from the last day, so it should be OK. It’s going to be the same ground.

“He’s under 10st 4lb and we couldn’t be happier with that, we’re looking forward to it – hopefully it’ll be a big run.”

Charlie Longsdon saddles Castle Robin, winner of the Virgin Bet Masters Handicap Chase at Sandown on his latest start in early February.

The chestnut produced a good round of jumping to land the race and was raised 4lb as a result, meaning he carries 10t 9lb this time.

“This has been the plan since he won at Sandown, he seemed to come out of the race really well so we’re hoping he’ll run a really good race,” Longsdon said.

“I was very pleased at Sandown, I couldn’t have been happier. Everything went according to plan that day and, touching wood, he’s had a nice preparation and will go there with a very nice chance.

Castle Robin winning at Sandown
Castle Robin winning at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s on a really nice weight and we’re looking forward to it.”

Kim Bailey’s Does He Know carries top-weight of 12st, with the gelding a Grade Two winner over both hurdles and fences.

The eight-year-old was a Cheltenham Grade Three winner in November, after which he headed to Newbury in February and placed third in the Grade Two Denman Chase when beaten eight and half lengths by Zanza.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Undersupervision, the reigning Grimthorpe champion, returns to defend his title, while Brian Ellison’s Windsor Avenue also has Doncaster form as he won the 2022 Sky Bet Chase and was fourth in the same event when last seen.

Sporting John will represent Philip Hobbs having last been seen finishing 11th of 14 in the Swinley Chase in mid-February, with Tom Lacey’s Neville’s Cross and Seamus Mullins’ Moroder completing the field of eight.



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Cooper’s Cross chasing Doncaster double in Grimthorpe

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Stuart Coltherd is eyeing a Doncaster double as Cooper’s Cross prepares for the Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase on Saturday.

The eight-year-old has been in good form all season, starting out with a win in a Carlisle handicap chase before placing in successive contests at Aintree and Musselburgh.

The Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster in late January brought about a step up in trip to three miles, a staying distance the gelding seemed to relish when prevailing by a length from Cap Du Nord under Coltherd’s son Sam.

That form was then boosted when the latter horse was a seven-length winner of the Swinley Chase at Ascot next time out.

Cooper’s Cross will return to a familiar track for his next outing, however, and is aimed at the Grimthorpe at Doncaster on Saturday.

Cooper’s Cross ridden by Sam Coltherd after winning the Sky Bet Handicap Chase
Cooper’s Cross ridden by Sam Coltherd after winning the Sky Bet Handicap Chase (Richard Sellers/PA)

The three-mile-two-furlong contest is another step up in trip for the gelding, something his trainer is hoping he will take in his stride at the weekend.

“He’s very well, he’s in at Doncaster and that would be the plan,” he said.

“He seemed to get the three miles at Doncaster last time, so I can’t imagine two furlongs would make a big difference to him.

“The form looks pretty solid, so we’ve got our fingers crossed.

“It’s good to have a horse that can compete in these races and he seems at the right end of the handicap anyway. We’ll just keep going with him and see how we go.”

Cooper’s Cross is one of 12 entries for the handicap highlight, with last year’s winner Undersupervision in contention for Nigel Twiston-Davies, while Kim Bailey’s Does He Know and the Charlie Longsdon-trained Castle Robin are among the leading lights.



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