Trainer Emma Lavelle is
considering her options ahead of the £75,000 Sky Bet Chase (3.15pm) at
Doncaster this Saturday, January 25. The Hampshire-based handler has left in
both Gullinbursti (14/1 with Sky Bet) and Court By Surprise (10/1
co-second favourite with Sky Bet) at today's five-day confirmation stage for
the three-mile Listed handicap chase.
Gullinbursti was an
impressive winner on his seasonal reappearance at Market Rasen in November
before finishing a close fifth in the Grade Three Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle
at Haydock Park later in the same month. Last time out he finished third,
beaten three and a half lengths, in a graduation chase at Newbury on December
18. Court By Surprise has been in great form this season, coming home a close
second in the London National at Sandown Park on December 7 and an unlucky
third in the Listed Badger Ales Trophy Handicap Chase at Wincanton on November
9, when he stumbled badly three out.
Lavelle reported today:
"Both Gullinbursti and Court By Surprise are still in the Sky Bet Chase,
although I can't say which of them will run at this stage. It is unlikely both
would run at they have the same owner (Nick Mustoe).
"We will see how the
week goes and keep an eye on the weather. In an ideal world, I would say it is
slightly more likely that Gullinbursti would run at this stage. He was very
good first time out this season and then ran a smashing race at Haydock. I
think the ground wasn't quite right for him last time out at Newbury as he is a
better horse on better ground and that may prove a factor in whether we go to
Doncaster with him on Saturday.
"I think we have
learnt that Court By Surprise is not a horse you can get there too early on. At
Sandown last time he just got there and pricked his ears, thinking he had done
enough. I think you have to hold on until the last minute with him. He is a
horse with plenty of ability though and deserves to win one of these big
handicaps."
Heading the weights on
11st 12lb is the Paul Nicholls-trained Unioniste who is Sky Bet's 7/1
favourite. The John Hales-owned six-year-old won a Listed chase at Aintree in
November before finishing eighth to Bobs Worth, beaten 11 lengths, in the Grade
One Lexus Chase at Leopardstown, Ireland, on December 28. Nicholls could also
be represented by Sam Winner (10/1), a Grade Two winner over hurdles who
landed a novices' chase at Cheltenham last time, as well as Pacha Du Polder
(33/1) and Harry The Viking (20/1), who is part-owned by Sir Alex
Ferguson.
Other leading fancies
include Night In Milan (10/1), trained by Keith Reveley and an
impressive winner over the course and distance last month. Dr Richard Newland
is likely to be represented by Mart Lane (12/1), who finished third
behind Night In Milan before himself winning over the course and distance under
top-weight on December 29. Kruzhlinin (16/1) has won his last two starts
impressively for Donald McCain, while Time For Rupert (20/1) could make
only his third appearance since finishing a close fifth in the 2012 Cheltenham
Gold Cup.
Michael Shinners, Racing
PR Manager at Sky Bet, commented: "We are thrilled with the five-day
confirmations and a highly-competitive renewal of the Sky Bet Chase is in
store.
"There is a real mix
of unexposed potential improvers and established high quality handicappers. It
looks a very open race and could be a significant pointer to a number of races
at the major spring festivals."
Sky Bet Chase, Sky Bet
latest odds: 7/1 Unioniste; 10/1 Night In Milan, Sam Winner, Court By
Surprise; 12/1 Mart Lane; 14/1 Gullinbursti, The Druids Nephew; 16/1
Kruzhlinin, Attaglance, Roberto Goldback, Baile Anrai; 20/1 Time For
Rupert, Our Mick, Walkon, Fruity O'Rooney, Harry The Viking; 25/1
Niceonefrankie, According To Trev, The Rainbow Hunter, Pacha du Polder, Auroras
Encore; 33/1 Solix, Relax, Native Gallery; 40/1 Major Malarkey
Sky Bet is the sports
betting division of Sky Betting and Gaming, a wholly owned subsidiary of
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc. (Sky). One of the country's leading betting
and gaming companies, Sky Bet is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire and fully
licensed and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC). Sky
Bet offers an online sports betting service www.skybet.com
and a mobile platform. The Sky Bet app is free to download from the iTunes App
store. Customers can also bet through their TV or by telephone.
The Sky
Bet Chase
Class 1,
Listed Race, £75,000 Total Prize Fund. 3.15pm, Doncaster, Saturday,
January 25, 2014. For five-year-olds and upwards, three miles. Penalties: after
January 12, a winner of a chase 5lb. Entries closed January 7, entries revealed
January 8 (50 entries), weights revealed January 15, five-day confirmation
stage January 20 (25 confirmations), final declaration stage 10.00am, January
23.
Form
Horse Age/Wt
Owner Trainer
114-310 UNIONISTE
(FR) 6-11-12 John
Hales Paul Nicholls
22P52-U WALKON
(FR) 9-11-10 McNeill
Family Alan King
355U-40 ROBERTO
GOLDBACK (IRE) 12-11-09 Simon
Munir Nicky Henderson
P2P10-6 PACHA
DU POLDER (FR) 7-11-07 The Stewart & Wylie
Families Paul Nicholls
5(1)03-31
SAM WINNER (FR) 7-11-06
Angela Yeoman Paul Nicholls
5F51P-5 AURORAS
ENCORE (IRE) 12-11-05 Douglas Pryde,Jim Beaumont & D
P van der Hoeven Sue Smith
52F-153 GULLINBURSTI
(IRE) 8-11-03 Nick
Mustoe Emma Lavelle
P2-4411 KRUZHLININ
(GER) 7-11-03 Paul & Clare
Rooney Donald McCain
5145/4-4 TIME
FOR RUPERT (IRE) 10-11-02 Littlecote Racing
Partnership Paul Webber
1-01631 MART
LANE (IRE) 9-11-01 Jim
Stewart Dr Richard
Newland
3/U2P-P3 OUR
MICK 8-10-13 K &
Mrs E Benson Donald McCain
352-515 NICEONEFRANKIE
8-10-13 Old Carthusian Racing Society Venetia
Williams
F1-2301
NIGHT IN MILAN (IRE) 8-10-11 Richard
Collins Keith Reveley
2521-65 FRUITY
O'ROONEY 11-10-10 Heart of the South
Racing Gary Moore
30-P240 ATTAGLANCE
8-10-10 H Young, G Eifert, R
Snyder Malcolm Jefferson
P4UP-26
THE RAINBOW HUNTER 10-10-09 May We Never Be Found Out
Partnership Kim Bailey
166-4F2 THE
DRUIDS NEPHEW (IRE) 7-10-08 The Stonehenge
Druids Andy Turnell
1P0-332 COURT
BY SURPRISE (IRE) 9-10-07 Nick
Mustoe Emma Lavelle
6-1133F ACCORDING
TO TREV (IRE) 8-10-06 Fred Mills & Wayne
Mills Nigel Twiston-Davies
12PP-P15 RELAX
(FR) 9-10-05 The Bellamy
Partnership Venetia Williams
0F-0465 SOLIX
(FR) 8-10-04 Paul
Vogt Ian Williams
103-0403 NATIVE
GALLERY (IRE) 9-10-04 William Tyrer
Ben De Haan
P/P00P-0 HARRY
THE VIKING 9-10-02 Sir Alex Ferguson,Ged Mason,R Wood
& Peter Done Paul Nicholls
40-3341 BAILE
ANRAI (IRE) 10-10-00
Massive Dan Skelton
P0-5F01P MAJOR
MALARKEY (IRE) 11-9-13 Baker Dodd & Cooke
Nigel Twiston-Davies
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