The coveted Great Yorkshire Chase has been imprinted on Town Moor since 1948 and remains a valuable feature towards the end of January, won last year by Annual Invictus for Chris Gordon and his son Freddie.
Last Five Renewals
2024:
- Winner – Annual Invictus (9yo)
- Official rating – 137
- Cloth number – 8
- Weight – 10-12
- General track position throughout – Pressed leader, led from 2nd.
- Season – 4th C2 Plumpton Sussex Stayers’ Hurdle
- Course form – Course debut
- Headgear – None
- Record over 3M+ – 313PU1864
2023:
- Winner – Cooper’s Cross (8yo)
- Official rating – 128
- Cloth number – 11
- Weight – 10-6
- General track position throughout – Towards rear, led three out.
- Season – 1st C4 Carlisle Handicap Chase, 3rd C2 Aintree Handicap Chase, 2nd Musselburgh Chase.
- Course form – Course debut
- Headgear – First time cheek-pieces
- Record over 3M+ – First run (though P2P winner)
2022:
- Winner – Windsor Avenue (10yo)
- Official rating – 144
- Cloth number – 6
- Weight – 11-1
- General track position throughout – Led, headed but clear with one other four out.
- Season – 2nd C2 Bangor Handicap Chase, PU G3 Rowland Meyrick
- Course form – 2nd G2 December Novices’ Chase. Headgear – First time blinkers.
- Record over 3M+ – 232PU
2021:
- Winner – Takingrisks (12yo)
- Official rating – 146
- Cloth number – 6
- Weight – 11-2
- General track position throughout – Prominent, chased leader after 14th.
- Season – PU C3 Ayr Hurdles, 4th Newcastle Rehearsal Chase.
- Course form – 2nd C3 Chase
- Headgear – Cheekpieces
- Record over 3M+ – 16F4PU13512311565PU
2020:
- Winner – Ok Corral (10yo)
- Official rating – 146
- Cloth number – 1
- Weight – 11-12
- General track position throughout – Tracked leaders on inner
- Season – 15th G3 Newbury Ladbrokes Trophy Chase, 9th G3 Cheltenham Paddy Power Handicap Chase.
- Course form – Course debut
- Headgear – None
- Record over 3M+ – 2511P0
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Notable Ten Year Trends
- Official ratings of the winner is between – 128-151 (last ten OR’s read 137, 128, 144, 146, 146 ,151, 145, 137, 133, 139).
- Course form not essential.
- 8/10 were returning from at least a month’s break.
- 8/10 renewals were ran on ground containing good in the description.
- 7/10 either led or were prominent throughout, 2/10 held up, 1/10 from midfield.
- Top weights just 1/10
- 5/10 were wearing headgear, 3/10 for the first time.
- 5/10 were having their fourth run of the season.
- 4/10 had just two runs prior that season.
- 4/10 were in the Veteran stage
- 3/10 had run in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and/or the G3 Rowland Meyrick.
- SP’s read 16/1, 40/1, 40/1, 9/1, 8/1 8/1, 10/1, 8/1, 4/1.
Leading Market Contenders
Trelawne heads the market at a general 8/1 and a flat, galloping track like Doncaster could suit him to a tee. The son of Geordieland would have to become the highest rated horse since Ok Corral to win the race off this mark, which would slightly temper enthusiasm as he’s not the biggest horse to carry what could likely be top-weight, for all he successfully did so on chase debut. He took his record fresh to 11111 when fending off Iroko in the Graduation Chase at Haydock in November, which is another minor concern as he’s 0-6 outside of running when fresh.
The Changing Man continues to disappoint his supporters having been just touched off in the Howden Silver Cup last time out, taking his record at a single figure price since last winning to 0-12. He’s been a beaten favourite in three of his eight chases, finishing second in four of them including the last twice and the question whether he truly wants to win is certainly a lingering one. He’s another that’s 8/1 in most places and for all we know this mark of 137 is a workable one, he’s not one to put the faith in.
Last year’s second Forward Plan remains 9lbs higher when beaten a nose by Annual Invictus, and he looked weighted to the hill when failing to take the same 0-150 he won at Doncaster off 15lbs lower (claim factored in) over C&D last time out. He’s an admirable sort who only finished out of the placings on two occasions over fences which were both on seasonal debut so for all he’s likely to be bang there if connections chance him here, the overriding suspicion is he might just be in the handicappers grip and perhaps dropping back a pound for the Coral Trophy, which he won off 5lbs lower, might be on the cards instead – or the Freebooter at Aintree.
Frero Banbou is a general 12/1 poke for Venetia Williams, but he’s another you wouldn’t quite trust off this mark of 135, rather fittingly as he beat The Changing Man on his penultimate start at Newcastle in the Rehearsal Chase. That was his first win over fences since January 2022, with his consistency leading him to rarely come down the weights enough to make an impact. He was very well placed by the yard with Ned Fox essentially having him run off 122 at Newcastle, and the Venetia yard is perhaps coming to the end of her peak form for now.
Tightenourbelts is of interest for Emma Lavelle now they seemingly have him back in top shape after struggling to come back to himself after being put in his place by Il Est Francais in the Kauto Star Chase in 2023. He was a bet for the column when landing the odds at Exeter in November under Harry Cobden, with the second bolting up at Kempton next time out to beat Frero Banbou ten lengths. The 38L 5th has also come out and won the Tommy Whittle at Haydock since, and Tightenourbelts backed it up impressively at Ludlow next time out when bolting up ten lengths. For all I think he’s a progressive type, my worry would be whether he needs to go right handed as he’s 3/3 at Ludlow and his other win came around Exeter, with his recorded going left-handed reading 43PU636, and he is inclined to hang to his right at times.
Outsiders To Consider
With double-figure SP’s returning in three of the last seven renewals, it could pay to glance further down the market and the veteran Dashel Drasher is of interest at 16/1. He’s made a respectable return to fences this season, firstly finishing three lengths behind the 161r Pic D’Orhy over an inadequate 2m5f at Ascot in the 1965 Chase before being beaten four lengths in a competitive Veterans Chase at Cheltenham over 2m4f last month, with the 5th Seddon somewhat franking that form in the G3 New Years Day Chase at Cheltenham next time out. Takingrisks won this as a 12yo in 2021, and this return to three miles should surely see him in a better light over fences, with the shorter distances perhaps just a tool to sharpen up his jumping.
Young Buster makes some appeal down the field at 25/1 for Fergal O’Brien, having made a respectable seasonal debut in October in the Edinburgh Gin Chase at Kelso despite being a beta 2/1F. Six of the thirteen fences were omitted there so we can perhaps draw a line through that effort, and he posted his highest RPR (at the time) over fences on the card last season when fourth to subsequent Tommy Whittle winner Egbert. He’s a consistent sort over fences bar a blip in the Ayr Champion Novice Chase, and his record fresh boasts well should he return here.
Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post Tips – Get This 25/1 Ryanair Chase Selection In The Book
With the New Year settling in and the festivities wandering into the shadows, it seems an appropriate time to recap where we stand on the Cheltenham ante-post journey thus far. Our first selection was The New Lion at 25/1 for the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle. The son of Kayf Tara was exceptional in the G1 Challow at Newbury…
Tue 07 Jan 2025Verdict – Erne River 25/1 1pt EW 3 places
One that I haven’t mentioned is last year’s six-length fifth ERNE RIVER, who returns 6lbs lower this time around and looks a shade overpriced based on his last two efforts. I was at Doncaster when he unseated at the 9th under Tom Broughton, but he was jumping and travelling strongly prior to that mishap where he sprawled on landing. He was turned out two weeks later over hurdles here just to keep him ticking along, and despite running to freely for his own good in front, it was still a pleasing performance.
There aren’t really many other options for this ten-year-old as he seems to hate anywhere else apart from Doncaster, with his form figures here reading 11215UR4, and given he’s on his lowest mark over fences since his novice chase debut here in 2022, he has to be chanced here to return to the winners enclosure at his beloved Town Moor.
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