Grimthorpe Chase Day - Saturday 29th February 2020

Mar 4, 2020
10 min read

Captain Chaos scooped the pot he always threatened to deliver when routing his opposition in the 888Sport Grimthorpe Handicap Steeplechase for trainer Dan Skelton, jockey Harry Skelton and owners Mike & Eileen Newbould.

Sent off at 9/2, he had been without a victory for two years, with a couple of fine efforts thrown in between, and went one better than his Classic Chase second last month with a gutsy, determined performance from up front that left his rivals toiling in his wake.

Captain Chaos and Aaron Lad were the early pace setters upon the commencement of this 3 and a quarter mile contest, with Worthy Farm and Yalltari settled in just behind them. The race had been decimated by non-runners before the off, with 7 of the 11 declared ther previous day going to post. Definitely Red and Saint Xavier both went off to Kelso to contest the Premier Chase, won by the former, while Boldmere and Chidswell both stayed in their boxes due to unsuitable ground.

Over Rose Hill and swinging around the far turn the pace was a steady, not a frenetic, one, which given the conditions was a sensible option. Captain Chaos hit the ditch and hampered his rival for the lead Aaron Lad, with jockey Harry Skelton rousting him into the next, which produced a much better leap.

Straightening up into a stiff headwind all the runners were still standing and going well. With a circuit to go there was hardly any noticeable errors or changes in order. At the water Captain Chaos gave a big leap, while Aaron Lad and Yalltari joined Fortified Bay in producing a slightly sketchy leap, while at the next Worthy Farm wasn’t that fluent. All handled the ditch well, though Ascot De Bruyere was starting to lose a bit of touch off the back of the field as the field went to the top of Rose Hill having handled one circuit.

Captain Chaos had began to up the ante at the twelfth, and that got Worthy Farm to make another error, and heading the other side of the hill he was 4 lengths up. At the thirteenth he gave a great leap, while Fortified Bay made another error and was pulled up by Aidan Coleman, as his rivals went to the last ditch, the fourteenth.

Aaron Lad was being ridden along by Charlie Hammond at this point, having been slow at the previous fence. He got the open ditch wrong and fell, bringing down Ascot De Bruyere in the process. At 5 out another great leap by Captain Chaos put him 5 lengths up on Worthy Farm, who was beginning to tire himself. Yalltari and Cesar Et Rosalie were tailing off at this point, and at 4 out Cesar Et Rosalie was pulled up by jockey Tom Scudamore, who was then bumped into by the riderless Ascot De Bruyere, causing him to be unseated after he had pulled his mount up.

At 3 out Harry Skelton had ridden Captain Chaos to a 10 length gap, while Worthy Farm gave a tired leap at it and his supporters knew that unless his rival up ahead made an error and came down or unseated, they would be fighting for place money only.

Worthy Farm was beginning to toil and was slow at 2 out, while now 25 lengths up Captain Chaos was seemingly full of running, being kept up to his work by his jockey.

At the last he was a little sloppy, but he was entitled to be tired as he had been on the front foot all the way round, and made his way up the run in with nobody to challenge him, and sauntered up for a whopping 54 length victory. Worthy Farm made it round in second, whilst Yalltari was the only other finisher in a gruelling contest.

Rest of the card

The meeting at Doncaster began with the 888Sport Handicap Hurdle, which went the way of the very popular due of trainer Fergal O’Brien and jockey Paddy Brennan, who teamed up with Liosduin Bhearna to score by 6 lengths for the FOB Partnership 4 Syndicate.

A 6/1 shot in the betting, he stayed on stoutly in stamina sapping conditions to defeat the 5/2F Blackjack Kentucky, who has held some form behind leading novice The Big Breakaway.

Geordie B was the front runner with Kris Spin and Coded Message at flagfall, the favourite settled just in behind. A long swinging bend that contained only one hurdle for the first 5 furlongs saw the favourite move on approaching the second, travelling somewhat keen over the third.

With a circuit to go the pace increased at the halfway point as the field went out along the side. Kris Spin was the first to show any frailties in the jumping department where he received reminders, but still maintained his third place in the field. Sakhee City moved up under Thomas Dowson to take closer aim at the leaders.

Geordie B lost his place very quickly approaching and after 4 out, rapidly dropping to rear and causing his jockey Aidan Coleman to get flexing and driving in a bid to get him to pick the bridle up again.

Swinging into the home straight Liosduin Bhearna had gone into second as Blackjack Kentucky cruised up ahead. At 3 out Remastered had joined the leader and Liosduin Bhearna, with Flemcara the only one of the remainders who had gone with them, but was quickly beaten off. At 2 out the leader landed on all fours, and Liosduin Bhearna took up the running on the run down to the last.

Two good leaps at the last from the two at the head of affairs meant it would be all on who could stay the best, and it was the leader Liosduin Bhearna who stayed on the stoutest in the deep conditions to prevail by nearly 7 lengths to Blackjack Kentucky, who looks like he will improve for a fence next season, with Remastered back in third.

The Twitter page of the winning trainer of the previous race tweeted that they would be fearing for the bars at Doncaster after the syndicate wont he first, and it got worse for Town Moors Taverns as the trainer and jockey made it a quickfire double on the card when Gino Trail took the 888Sport “Bet £10 Get £30” Handicap Steeplechase for owner Mrs Jan Smith.

Making his stable debut at the ripe age of 13, the 9/2 shot was adopting his customary front running tactics to best effect as he wore off the challenge of Katpoli to take the contest by 3 ¾ lengths.

Gino Trail and Katpoli stood a little off the first, with as the field swung around the bend to face up to the water jump Joke Dancer was briefly niggled along. The leader wasn’t totally fluent at the water, but worse still was Dalila Du Seuil, who swivelled on jumping it and causing his jockey Barry Geraghty to lose an iron, while Joke Dancer was even more untidy and had to be scrubbed along by Danny Cook to pick his ideas up and keep tabs on the field.

Katpoli got in close to the fourth, the first of the ditches, while Dalila Du Seuil was again untidy, and yet again the worst of the blunders came from Joke Dancer, who took off by the wings but didn’t get high enough and ploughed through the fence.

Heading over the fifth by Rose Hill Gino trail continued to amble along, and swinging around the sixth Nuts Well wasn’t fluent. A great leap by the leader kept him ahead at the seventh, the last of the ditches, and Joke Dancer yet again was untidy, his jumping going to pot completely.

At 5 out Gino Trail ploughed through it, a little bit low, and straightening up Katploi was alongside him, with 3 lengths back to Dolos, who was making progress through to go into third. At 4 out the gap to him was 4 lengths, and the first signs of anxiety came from his jockey as he blundered his way over 3 out and quickly started to paddle.

At 2 out Gino Trail went clear by 3 lengths, Katpoli looking like he was struggling to land a blow. At the last a fine leap kept him 4 lengths to the good on his pursuers, who included Nuts Well, who had gone past the weakening Dolos to go into third. Neither him nor Katpoli could get close to the teenager however, and he kept on going to score by an somewhat eased down 3 ¾ lengths, showing his toughness and gameness over his rivals. Katpoli held on for second ahead of Nuts Well, while Dolos almost walked over the line in fourth over 20 lengths behind the defiant winner.

Third race on the card was the 888Sport “Take ‘Em On Mares’ Novices Hurdle, a Listed contest that went to the Paul Nicholls trained Mare Cill Anna under a determined drive from Harry Cobden.

The 4/6F before the off, the Stewart family owned 5 year old winning pointer cruised into contention, before knuckling down to battle the long time leader Ziggy Rose and prevail by half a length.

Ziggy Rose took the field along at a frenetic pace towards the first, with Aurora Thunder taking up the leader duties over the first, establishing a 3 length lead swinging around the bend. This was reduced to a solitary length turning into the straight and lining up for the second.

Early Morning Rain was a little untidy over the fifth, the only noticeable error on the circuit as the field went into the back and over Rose Hill. She was first off the bridle coming down the hill, while Aurora Thunder wasn’t fluent at the eighth and was headed by Ziggy Rose. She dropped back rapidly and was pulled up before 3 out.

At 3 out Aimee De Sivola was brought to the nearside rail by Aidan Coleman, while Ziggy Rose led Cill Anna and Early Morning Rain on the far side. Cill Anna pulled her way to join Ziggy Rose, and after 2 out she looked ready to take up the running, but Ziggy Rose wouldn’t give up without a fight and put it up to the very warm favourite heading down to the last.

There was nothing in it at the last, both jumping and landing together. Paddy Brennan urged his mount to battle on and she did bravely, but in the final half a furlong the favourite edged ahead and eventually scored by half a length, making it a hattrick on the bounce for her and consigning her rival to yet another two by her form, taking Ziggy Rose’s total to 3 out of four races and maintaining her maiden status. Aimee De Sivola was third, with Early Morning Rain in fourth.

Kepagge brushed up on his jumping to make it a hat-trick of wins and two from two over hurdles when taking the 888Sport “Follow Us On Instagram” Novices’ Hurdle for trainer David Pipe under Tom Scudamore.

The top weight was giving 7lbs to his two rivals in the just shy of 2 and a half mile contest, but stayed on strongest in the cloying conditions to take the win from the well fancied Firak, who was forced to settle for second yet again.

Apple Rock and David Bass took the trio along at flagfall, the field reduced from the declared five due to the defections of I’m Here and the well touted by his trainer Ben Pauling Now Is The Winter. At the third hurdle he fluffed the hurdle, the only blemish between the three at the first few hurdles. The pace was a steady one, given the conditions it was a wise one.

In what was a race that featured hardly any blemishes in jumping, as the field swung in to the home straight at the top of the home straight to three out all were in line astern, and over 3 out Apple Rock faded tamely away, flashing his tail in disapproval.

At 2 out Kepagge took the lead, with Firak jumping the hurdle like a chaser, big and bold. He was switched right by Harry Skelton, as Kepagge went left, but at the last Firak blundered it, flattening the hurdle and allowing Kepagge to get that further bit in front. He tired on the run in and was booked for second as Kepagge stayed on the better to score by 9 lengths, with Apple Rock coming home a further 22 lengths behind.

Stonific needed to pick his ideas in the jumping game up after late mistakes cost him at Bangor on his last appearance, but the omission of the three hurdles in the home helped him out somewhat as he took the 888Sport “Download The App” Handicap Hurdle for trainer David O’Meara under jockey Richard Johnson.

Having lost 4 hurdles in the race due to low sun, it became a test of who would stay the best and he came into contention tanking along under the champion jockey, who then pressed the button with a furlong to run, and his mount soon scooted clear to win by 9 lengths.

Setting off and For Pleasure was very keen in the hands of Kielan Woods, as the field went towards the first of only 4 hurdles, with Little Stevie racing off very keenly for Charlie Hammond. Stonific was taken onto the inside by Richard Johnson.

At the top of Rose Hill and with only one hurdle left to jump Zig Zag was chasing the leader at about 7 lengths adrift, but as they went over the last with approximately seven furlongs to run Castletown badly blundered and unshipped Henry Brooke.

Swinging in Aeglos, Farmer Boy and Shanroe Tic Tac had been beaten off, and it was left to Little Stevie, Zig Zag, For Pleasure and Stonific to fight out the end to this race, with the race turning into more like the St Leger than a Handicap Hurdle, with no obstacles left to jump for the contenders and 5 furlongs to run.

Zig Zag was first to cry enough, stoutly ridden but losing touch under Tommy Dowson and fighting a losing battle. For Pleasure was next off the bridle and heavily ridden, and at the one furlong pole Stonific was sent on by Dickie Johnson and he careered away to score by 9 lengths, and in the process making it 4 wins out of 5 rides for his jockey since returning from a broken arm. For Pleasure couldn’t get near Little Stevie in the end and had to settle for third, whilst Shanroe Tic Tac managed to scrape home for fourth ahead of Zig Zag.

The final race of the day was the 888Sport Standard National Hunt Flat Race for Conditional Jockeys and Amateur Riders. In a contest that quickly turned into a two horse race due to the heavy conditions, it was left between Nells Son and Kearney Hill to slug it out to the finish, resulting in a photo as they hit the line together.

At the line, Nells Son was called the winner by commentator Mike Cattermole, but to the dismay and bewilderment of his jockey Danny McMenamin, trainer Nicky Richards and owners Langdale Bloodstock, his rival Kearney Hill was called the winner by the judge.

As the winning connections of Kearney Hill celebrated victory for the Brian Ellison trained, Jack Tudor ridden and Julie & Phil Martin owned son of Dylan Thomas, across the parade ring there was a huge sense of disappointment, none more evident than on the face of the doleful jockey as he walked back in.

A few more bonus images from the day!