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Betfair Chase |
Betfair Chase 2007
24/11/07
My Way De Solzen Primed to Take on Kauto Star in The Betfair Chase 09/11/07
A fantastic renewal of the £200,000 Grade One Betfair Chase is in prospect with last season’s winner and undisputed champion chaser Kauto Star just one of a star-studded cast expected to line up for the three-mile Haydock Park showpiece on Saturday, November 24, the first day of the tremendous Northwest Racing Masters weekend.
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Wiltshire trainer Alan King is hoping to take on Kauto Star with the
2007 Grade One Irish
Independent Arkle Trophy hero My Way De Solzen,
who also won the Grade One Ladbrokes World Hurdle over three miles at
the previous Cheltenham Festival.
King revealed today: “It’s pretty likely that My Way De Solzen will go to the Betfair Chase as that would be the first logical step. He’s fine and ready to run but we need the rain.
“If all goes well, we’ll then look at the King George VI
Chase and after that decide whether he goes for the Ryanair
Chase or
the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March - time will tell.
“We’re looking forward to getting him started this season as he’s in wonderful form but we’ll just have to be patient as he wants a bit of cut in the ground and we’ll wait for that.”
The Paul Nicholls-trained Kauto Star will be a formidable rival, having
gone through a six-race campaign unbeaten last term, with his wins in
the Betfair Chase, Stan James King George VI Chase on Boxing Day at Kempton
and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, thus netting the lucrative Betfair
Million for his sporting connections.
The Betfair Chase is also likely to include last season’s second
top-rated chaser Exotic Dancer, who was runner-up to Kauto Star in both
the King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup while winning four prestigious
contests, culminating with the Grade Two Betfair Bowl at Aintree in April.
Kauto Star and Exotic Dancer, making their seasonal debuts, finished second and third respectively to the top-class Nicky Richards-trained grey Monet’s Garden in the Grade Two bonusprint.com Old Roan Chase over two and a half miles at Aintree on October 28.
Recent Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase winner Ollie Magern was upsides
Kauto Star going to the last fence in the 2006 Betfair Chase at Haydock
Park before finishing fourth and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ revitalised
charge could also renew rivalry on November 24.
The Ferdy Murphy-trained Aces Four, winner of the Grade Two Mildmay
Novices’ Chase at Aintree in April, may head for the Betfair Chase
despite being pulled up in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on November
3, when connections said he needed the run.
The Michael Hourigan-trained Beef Or Salmon, a 10-time Grade One winner
in his native Ireland, is set to bid to make it third time lucky at the
age of 11, having filled the runner-up berth in the first two runnings
of the Betfair Chase.
Other top horses, like Monet’s Garden’s stable companion
Turpin Green, who was third in the 2007 Cheltenham Gold Cup, and the
David Pipe-trained Our Vic, a close second in the Ryanair Chase, are
also intended runners in the 2007 Betfair Chase.
The Betfair Chase on Saturday, November 24 is race 11 in the Order Of
Merit and is the highlight on day one of the Northwest Racing Masters
weekend, which continues the following day at Aintree.
Kauto Star drew 17 lengths clear of runner-up Beef Or Salmon in the
2006 Betfair Chase. The inaugural running of the exciting new chase in
2005 went to the Robert Alner-trained Kingscliff, who also denied Beef
Or Salmon, with that year’s totesport Gold Cup hero Kicking King
in third.
The Northwest Racing Masters, now in its third year, continues at Aintree
on Sunday, November 25, when the thrilling six-race card features two
contests over the world famous Grand National fences - the £100,000
totesport.com Becher Chase (2.50pm) and the £70,000 totepool Grand
Sefton Handicap Chase (1.40pm).
NORTHWEST RACING MASTERS CONTINUES TO GROW
The 2007 Northwest Racing Masters is set to attract even more visitors from all over the UK and Ireland.
Julian Thick, Managing Director of Aintree Racecourse, home of the John
Smith's Grand National, commented: “You don't have to be a racing
fanatic to enjoy the Northwest Racing Masters. This race meeting is the
only other time in the year when Aintree races over the famous Grand
National fences and is now a firmly established Grand National trial,
with many of jump racing's stars going on from this meeting to the showcase
event in April, the John Smith’s Grand National.
“Adding a taste of the festive season to the weekend will surely encourage many first-time racegoers to sample the best our North West racecourses have to offer.”
Dickon White, Managing Director of Haydock Park which hosts the first
day of the Northwest Racing Masters, said: “The Northwest Racing
Masters is only in its third year, but it is growing in popularity very
rapidly.
“The fact that this year's event falls into the Christmas party season, as well as the growing reputation of the event as one of the most exciting new race meetings in the UK, means we are due to increase the attendance significantly.”
Located in one of the most vibrant regions in the country, the Northwest
Racing Masters meeting offers a great opportunity to discover England's
Northwest. It is an ideal time to combine a love of racing with a visit
to Liverpool, European Capital of Culture, and the rest of the region.
Haydock Park, St Helens, is the most visited racecourse in the UK, offering first class racing all year round. It is located half-way between Liverpool and Manchester, just off junction 23 of the M6 motorway.
Aintree Racecourse is home to the John Smith's Grand National and is between Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008, and Southport - the perfect destination for a weekend break with beautiful beaches, great attractions and superb shopping.
