Doncaster Racecourse

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Sky Bet Chase (Listed Handicap)
(formerly the Great Yorkshire Chase)
24/01/09

Todhunter Hopes Rain Won’t Spoil His Rhythm in The SkyBet Chase 22/01/09

Cumbrian trainer Martin Todhunter is hoping the rain clouds stay away over the next two days as he targets the £85,000 Listed SkyBet Chase at Doncaster on Saturday with the promising novice That’s Rhythm (18/1 with sponsor SkyBet ).

That’s Rhythm, who is set to carry 10st 5lb under Brian Hughes, is one of a maximum field of 22 runners (plus two reserves) declared today for the three-mile handicap chase. The Peter Bowen-trained Always Waining (33/1) is set to carry top-weight of 11st 12lb..

The fantastic Town Moor feature will see the lightly-raced That’s Rhythm race for only the 11th time and the consistent nine-year-old will be bidding for a first victory over fences, having won three contests over hurdles and filled the runner-up berth on his three previous attempts in chases.

Over three miles and a furlong at Hexham on October 3, the Sir Robert Ogden-owned That’s Rhythm hinted at a bright future as a chaser when two lengths runner-up to According To Pete (set to carry 11st 11lb), currently the 8/1 co-favourite with SkyBet for Saturday’s prestigious race. Todhunter’s charge was last seen racing over two and a half miles at Newcastle on October 30, when a length second to Mill Side, to whom he was conceding 7lb.

Todhunter revealed this morning: “The plan is to run at Doncaster but he doesn’t want more rain. It’s a case of the quicker the ground, the better for him. He’s going there as a live outsider, the only worry is that soft ground would go against him. If the rain isn’t as heavy as expected, I’m looking forward to a good run.

“It’s unfortunate, every time he’s run, he’s finished second to good horses. He was runner-up to According To Pete at Hexham and that one has done nothing wrong.

“He’s lightly raced but he has been declared once or twice over the Christmas period and unfortunately those races have been off. We wanted to run him at Catterick on New Year’s Day but that was cancelled, so the weather hasn’t been kind.”

Four horses are currently vying for outright favouritism - According To Pete, Alexanderthegreat from the Venetia Williams yard, the Paul Nicholls-trained Big Fella Thanks and Possol, trained by Henry Daly, all on offer at 8/1 with SkyBet .

The high-quality field also includes Hot Weld, winner of the Scottish Grand National and Sandown Gold Cup (formerly the Whitbread Gold Cup) in the space of seven days in April 2007. The Ferdy Murphy-trained 10-year-old is having his first start since completing that historic double and is one of three runners from the yard, the others being Noir Et Vert (20/1 & 10st 6lb) and You’re Special (33/1 & 10st 9lb).

Keith Reveley will saddle last year’s runner-up Ungaro (11/1 &11st 11lb), while the Paul Webber-trained Laskari (10/1 & 11st 7lb), Montgermont (10/1 &11st 1lb), trained by Caroline Bailey, and the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Fier Normand (10/1 & 11st 1lb) are also set to line up.

The two reserves for the SkyBet Chase are Morgan Be (10st 3lb) and Rare Society (10st). Reserves can take the place of a non-runner up to 9am on Friday, January 23.

SkyBet Prices For The SkyBet Chase

Big Fella Thanks 8/1, According To Pete 8/1, Possol 8/1, Alexanderthegreat 8/1, Laskari 10/1, Fier Normand 10/1, Ungaro 11/1, Montgermont 16/1, Native Coral 16/1, That's Rhythm 18/1, Flying Enterprise 20/1, Aleron 20/1, Noir Et Vert 20/1, Verasi 22/1, Crozan 25/1, Lysander 25/1, Irish Raptor 28/1, Billyvoddan 28/1, Hot Weld 33/1, Always Waining 33/1, My Immortal 33/1, You're Special 33/1, Morgan Be 40/1, Rare Society 50/1

Each Way terms: 1/4 of odds for 1st 4 places