Randox Topham Chase
Grade 3 Handicap,
Aintree 16:05
£150,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus,
2m 5f 19y, Class 1   
Friday 14th April 2023

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1 Bill Baxter 20/1
2 Fantastic Lady 25/1
3 Killer Kane 25/1
4 Haut En Couleurs 15/2
5 Battleoverdoyen 50/1
29 ran NR: Quel Destin Distances: 1¾l, 12l, 1¾l
Time: 5m 35.90s (slow by 15.90s)

A determined victory from Bill Baxter over the Grand National fences got Warren Greatrex back into the big-race winner’s enclosure.

While run over a distance some way short of the big one, the Topham traditionally gives jockeys a chance to get their eye in on the eve of the world’s most famous steeplechase.

Greatrex is no stranger to major success as the trainer of World Hurdle hero Cole Harden and multiple Grade One-winning mare La Bague Au Roi, but by his standards it has been a while between drinks for the Lambourn-based trainer, with his last graded-race success coming over three years ago.

Bill Baxter, the mount of Sam Twiston-Davies, was sent off at 20-1 after winning his last three completed starts over fences, with a January fall at Hereford sandwiched in between.

From the final fence it was a straight shootout between Greatrex’s grey and the Nicky Henderson-trained Fantastic Lady and it was Bill Baxter who finished best to prevail by a length and three-quarters.

FormRatings

Greatrex said: “This was the horse that was going to put our team on the map and I ride him every day.

“We had a plan a while back then he fell at Hereford, but I said if the rain came he had a great chance and thankfully it did.

“He gallops and jumps and we got Sam, who is always up for anything. Once over the first I knew the horse would adapt to the fences, and I knew turning in he would win.

“When you hit a low like we did it’s tough, but I have a great team and some nice young horses.”

Randox Health Topham Chase (Grade 3 Handicap)
£150,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m 5f 19y, Class 1
29 ran
Going: Soft

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Bill Baxter 7 10-4 Warren Greatrex Sam Twiston-Davies 20/1
2 1¾ Fantastic Lady 8 10-12 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 25/1
3 12 Killer Kane 8 10-3 Joe Tizzard Brendan Powell 25/1
4 1¾ Haut En Couleurs 6 12-0 W P Mullins Paul Townend 15/2
5 3¼ Battleoverdoyen 10 10-12 Gordon Elliott Kieren Buckley 50/1
6 3 Fan De Blues 8 11-9 W P Mullins Daryl Jacob 100/1
7 nk Demachine 9 10-8 Kerry Lee Jonathan Burke 16/1
8 6½ Celebre D'Allen 11 10-4 Philip Hobbs & Johnson White Micheal Nolan 50/1
9 1¾ Gesskille 7 10-11 Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero Henry Brooke 8/1
10 6½ Al Dancer 10 11-6 Sam Thomas Charlie Deutsch 9/1
11 5 Gin On Lime 7 11-2 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 50/1
12 2¾ Top Ville Ben 11 10-10 Philip Kirby Thomas Dowson 50/1
13 5 Hereditary Rule 8 10-6 John C McConnell Simon Torrens 80/1
14 2¼ Kiltealy Briggs 9 10-8 Jamie Snowden A P Heskin 40/1
15 1¾ Equus Dancer 9 10-4 Peter Bowen Sean Bowen 12/1
16 hd Ciel De Neige 8 11-9 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 28/1
16 dht Fantastikas 8 10-2 Nigel Twiston-Davies Jordan Nailor 20/1
18 16 Hardline 11 10-6 Gordon Elliott Ricky Doyle 150/1
19 8½ Epson Du Houx 9 11-2 Henry De Bromhead Shane Fitzgerald 66/1
20 ½ Burrows Saint 10 11-9 W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins 10/1
BD Batcio 11 10-9 T M Walsh Brian Hayes 40/1
FELL Final Orders 7 11-7 Gavin Cromwell Keith Donoghue 14/1
FELL Cooper's Cross 8 10-4 Stuart Coltherd Ryan Mania 25/1
FELL Upping The Anti 7 10-13 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 22/1
PU Ashtown Lad 9 11-1 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 13/2F
PU Numitor 9 10-6 Heather Main Adam Wedge 22/1
PU Dorking Lad 8 10-2 Gary Moore Jamie Moore 66/1
PU Il Ridoto 6 11-3 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 16/1
UR Phoenix Way 10 10-9 Harry Fry Kevin Brogan 20/1
NR 22 Quel Destin 8 10-6 Paul Nicholls NON RUNNER

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