Sky Bet Chase |
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| Listed Handicap Doncaster 15:15 £75,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 24th January 2015 | |
1 If In Doubt 4/1F
2 Baileys Concerto 25/1
3 Night In Milan 12/1
NR: Easter Day (FR)
14 ran Distances: 3½l, 6l, 15l
TIME 6m 0.19s (slow by 6.19s)
If In Doubt wins an exciting SkyBet Chase with AP McCoy in the saddle for Philip Hobbs. Baileys Concerto also ran very well for second.
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Philip Hobbs' charge was sent off the 4-1 favourite for the three-mile feature and McCoy was happy to maintain a watching brief in the early stages as Fairy Rath and Mr Moonshine set what appeared to be a generous early pace.
Fairy Rath was still in front with five to jump but Night In Milan started to make significant strides and assumed control with four to jump before trying to assert.
However, If In Doubt travelled well in behind and soon made his bid for glory.
Baileys Concerto (25-1) briefly looked as though he might catch the winner, but If In Doubt proved three and a half lengths too good at the line.
Night In Milan kept on for third, a further six lengths adrift.
McCoy said: "He was very keen and I wanted to sit seventh or eighth but I ended up dropping him out.
"He's not a natural jumper so I switched him to the outside to get some light.
"I tried to nurse him round and when I gave him a squeeze at the top of Rose Hill, he shot round the outside.
"I didn't want to put his jumping under any pressure in the straight but I went on and he stayed on well.
"To be honest, I didn't fancy him much coming here because he had been beaten off the same mark over hurdles.
"He's got a lot to learn."
Sara Hobbs, wife of the winning trainer, said: "AP was brilliant on him because he's obviously not a natural jumper.
"He's got a lot to learn and whether he runs at the Festival or not will be down to JP (McManus, owner).
"Our other runner, Royal Player, stopped very quickly and we're having him scoped.
"That takes us over £1million in prize-money for this season."
Sky Bet Chase
(Formerly The Great Yorkshire Chase)
£75,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m, Class 1
14 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
| Dist | Horse | Jockey /Weight | Trainer | Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | If In Doubt (IRE) 4/1f | A P McCoy 10-11 |
P J Hobbs | 7 | |
| 2nd | 3½ | Baileys Concerto (IRE) 25/1 | B Hughes 10-6 |
Mrs Dianne Sayer | 9 |
| 3rd | 6 | Night In Milan (IRE) 12/1 | J Reveley 11-4 |
K G Reveley | 9 |
| 4th | 15 | Renard (FR) 10/1 | L Treadwell 10-13 |
Miss V Williams | 10 |
| 5th | 4 | Lost Legend (IRE) 20/1 | R P Mclernon 10-13 |
Jonjo O'Neill | 8 |
| 6th | nk | Medermit (FR) 7/1 | Tom Bellamy (5) 11-12 |
A King | 11 |
| 7th | hd | Buck Mulligan 20/1 | Conor Ring (5) 10-1 |
Evan Williams | 10 |
| 8th | 6 | Grandads Horse 8/1 | N D Fehily 11-3 |
C E Longsdon | 9 |
| 9th | 9 | Fairy Rath (IRE) 14/1 | W Kennedy 10-3 |
N J Gifford | 9 |
| 10th | 6 | Vino Griego (FR) 14/1 | Joshua Moore 11-4 |
G L Moore | 10 |
| PU | Godsmejudge (IRE) 16/1 | J E Moore 11-5 |
A King | 9 | |
| PU | Royal Player 11/2 | R Johnson 11-5 |
P J Hobbs | 6 | |
| PU | Mr Moonshine (IRE) 25/1 | Danny Cook 11-2 |
Mrs S J Smith | 11 | |
| UR | Yes Tom (IRE) 20/1 | Brian Harding 10-8 |
S R B Crawford | 10 | |
| NR | Easter Day | Non Runner 11-0 |
P F Nicholls | 7 |
