888Sport Grimthorpe Chase
Handicap, Doncaster 15:35
£55,000 added,
5yo plus,
3m 2f 1y, Class 2   
Saturday 2nd March 2019

Trainers Quotes

1 Chidswell 18/1
2 Dingo Dollar 3/1
3 Brian Boranha 12/1
7 ran Distances: 9l, 4l, 4½l
Time: 6m 29.00s (slow by 5.00s)

Chidswell is an easy winner for Nicky Richards and Craig Nichol

Trained by Nicky Richards and ridden by Craig Nichol, Chidswell carried bottom weight of just 10st 4lb in the three-mile-two-furlong feature and fairly flew home after the final fence.

Favourite Rocky’s Treasure and Dingo Dollar went toe-to-toe through the early exchanges and it was the market leader and top weight who cracked first, with a couple of lacklustre leaps seeing Rocky’s Treasure drop away.

That left Dingo Dollar in charge, but 18-1 shot Chidswell and his fellow Richards inmate Looking Well were on his heels and the stable companions settled down to battle it out with a couple to jump.

Chidswell took the early advantage and was in control when Looking Well took a tired fall at the last, leaving the winner to come home nine lengths clear of Dingo Dollar, with Brian Boranha third.

Richards said: “He didn’t know what price he was.

“He’s a bit of a boy, I promise you – he’s a bit of a comedian to ride at home. He’s not an old man’s ride, like me.

“He needs to be fresh, so we won’t be rushing him back quickly – but he’s going to make a fine, staying chaser for the next two or three years.”

The winner was providing owners David and Nicky Robinson with some compensation after another of their horses – the Richards-trained Baywing – suffered a fatal fall in last Saturday’s Eider Chase at Newcastle.

David Robinson said: “That was fantastic after last week. It couldn’t have been better.

“That was horrible, last week. But onwards and upwards – don’t look back, always look forward, and look for the next one.

“The northern racing community is a family, and we’ve had loads of texts and emails. If you look on Nicky Richards’ Facebook page, there are 130 comments offering condolences.

“I was a bit nervous today, with what happened last week. Going to the first fence, he was very, very fresh and had his head up, but once he settled, I thought ‘just get round’.

“Then you could tell he was going very, very well.

“There was a little bit of a doubt whether he’d stay, but we thought he would do, and he has done. (Jockey) Craig (Nichol) said he stayed very, very well.”

Free Racing Tips

888Sport Grimthorpe Chase (Handicap)
£55,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 2f 1y, Class 2
7 ran
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places

Pos D Horse SP Jockey Weight Trainer Age
1st Chidswell (IRE) 18/1 Craig Nichol
10-4		 N G Richards 10
2nd 9 Dingo Dollar (IRE) 3/1 Wayne Hutchinson
11-11		 A King 7
3rd 4 Brian Boranha (IRE) 12/1 James Bowen
11-0		 P D Niven 8
4th 4½ Beau Du Brizais (FR) 16/1 M G Nolan
10-12		 P J Hobbs 7
5th 13 Rocky's Treasure (IRE) 2/1f David Bass
11-12		 K C Bailey 8
6th ½ Barney Dwan (IRE) 5/1 Sean Bowen
11-3		 F O'Brien 9
F   Looking Well (IRE) 9/2 Aidan Coleman
11-10		 N Richards 10