A Race Worth Celebrating

What a way to mark fifty years of marriage. The Sheila and Wayne Golden Wedding Anniversary Handicap Steeple Chase at Towcester on Sunday, 26 July 2026 is one of those midsummer jumping gems that reminds you why this sport never truly sleeps. A Class 2 contest over 3 miles and 10 yards, worth a very tidy £22,600 to the winner — this is serious business dressed up in celebratory colours.

Towcester's undulating, stamina-sapping track is the perfect stage for a staying chase of this quality. The track's notorious climbs and tight turns punish the unfit and reward the bold, and with Good ground underfoot (Stick Mark 52), conditions are about as fair as you'll get in late July. Eight runners go to post after the non-runner declaration of Bagheera Ginge, and there is genuine depth here from top to bottom of the weights. Strap in — this one's going to be a ride.

The Big Contenders: Who Can Win This?

Sure Touch (12-0) — The Course Specialist

Top weight, top billing. Sure Touch carries 12-0 into this and arrives with the most potent calling card of all: he's won at this track before. The ten-year-old gelding trained by Olly Murphy is a horse who knows his way around Towcester, and that course form is absolutely priceless over a track this quirky. Tom Hutsby takes the ride, and he's a jockey who thrives when given a horse with experience and class beneath him. Rated 135, Sure Touch is the highest-rated runner in the field, and he'll need to give weight to every rival. That's the challenge — but his course knowledge and Murphy's summer form make him very hard to dismiss.

Sony Bill (11-11) — The Young Gun

Here's where it gets interesting. Sony Bill is just a five-year-old — the youngest horse in the field by some distance — and yet he rocks up rated 132, carrying 11-11, trained by the increasingly exciting Faye Bramley. The booking of Harry Cobden says everything. Cobden doesn't take rides lightly, and when he's aboard a young, lightly-raced chaser in a competitive Class 2, you sit up and pay attention. Sony Bill has no course or distance form on his profile, but at five, his ceiling is unknown — and that's precisely what makes him dangerous. He could be ahead of the handicapper entirely.

Grand Clermont (11-9) — The Double Qualifier

David Pipe sends out Grand Clermont with a compelling set of credentials: this ten-year-old is both a course winner and a distance winner at Towcester. That combination is rare and valuable in a race like this. Rian Corcoran takes the mount, and the tongue tie headgear (T) suggests connections are trying to get the best out of him. At 130 rated and carrying 11-9, he's nicely weighted and has proven he can see out this trip around this track. Don't let the age fool you — Pipe has a knack for keeping older chasers sharp.

Sunray Shadow (11-8) — The Skelton Bullet

If there's one combination in British jump racing that makes punters nervous, it's Dan and Harry Skelton. Sunray Shadow is their seven-year-old contender here, rated 129, wearing a tongue tie, and — crucially — carrying the form flags of both a course winner and a distance winner. Harry Skelton knows this horse inside out, and the Skelton yard's summer strike rate is the stuff of legend. At 11-8, the weight is manageable, the conditions suit, and the jockey-trainer combination is as feared as any in the sport. Sunray Shadow is the one they'll all have to beat.

Imperial Alex (11-5) — The Dark Horse

Imperial Alex for Tom Lacey, ridden by Stan Sheppard, is a nine-year-old rated 126 who holds both course and distance form. He's on the same weight as Hold Your Fort but brings the more compelling profile of the two. Lacey is a trainer who picks his spots carefully, and sending Imperial Alex to Towcester with this form profile suggests genuine intent. He could easily run into a place at the very least, and at these odds, he represents solid each-way material.

Going, Conditions and What They Mean

Good ground at Towcester in late July is a genuine gift. The Stick Mark of 52 tells us the track isn't too firm and isn't too soft — it's the kind of surface where class tells and stamina is rewarded without the ground becoming a lottery. Towcester's hills mean every horse in this field will be tested thoroughly in the final mile, and that plays into the hands of the proven stayers.

Grand Clermont, Sunray Shadow and Imperial Alex all have distance form here, and that matters enormously. A three-mile chase around Towcester is not a race you want to be finding out about on the day. The horses who've been here and done it over the trip start with a significant advantage — and the Good ground only amplifies that edge.

As for the draw — this is a jumps race, so stall positions are irrelevant. It's all about jumping fluency, positioning and staying power from the first fence to the last.

Value Picks and Potential Dangers

The value play in this race is Sunray Shadow. The Skelton operation rarely loads up a horse with course and distance form, a capable jockey, and a manageable weight without having a serious crack at winning. If Harry Skelton gets a smooth round of jumping out of this horse, he could prove very hard to catch.

Sony Bill is the danger from left field. A five-year-old with Harry Cobden aboard and a progressive profile could easily outrun his experience. If Bramley has him primed, the market will tighten fast — watch for any morning moves.

Sure Touch carries top weight and that is always a concern in a competitive Class 2, but his course form and Murphy's confidence in booking Hutsby keeps him firmly in the frame as a win contender.

  • Sunray Shadow — Value pick, course and distance winner, Skelton power
  • Sony Bill — Each-way danger, young and unexposed, Cobden booked
  • Sure Touch — Course specialist, top weight the only concern
  • Imperial Alex — Solid each-way option, course and distance form

Verdict: Our Selection

This is a cracking little puzzle, and we're going with SUNRAY SHADOW as our headline selection. The combination of proven course and distance form, Harry Skelton in the saddle, and the well-oiled machine that is the Dan Skelton yard in full summer swing is simply too compelling to ignore. Good ground suits, the weight is fair, and this horse has already shown he can handle everything Towcester throws at him.

For each-way insurance, Sony Bill is the one to keep onside. Harry Cobden doesn't travel to Towcester on a Sunday afternoon for fun — there's a plan here, and it could well pay off handsomely. Check the full Towcester racecard for the latest market moves before the off.

Best of luck to Sheila and Wayne on their Golden Wedding Anniversary — may the winner cross the line just as your horse does!

Who is the Favourite for the Sheila and Wayne Golden Wedding Anniversary Handicap Steeple Chase?

Sure Touch is likely to open as the market leader given his top rating of 135 and proven course form, but Sunray Shadow and Sony Bill are expected to attract significant support. The Skelton-trained Sunray Shadow could well be sent off favourite once morning market moves are factored in, particularly given his dual course and distance form. Keep an eye on the Towcester markets as they develop throughout Sunday morning.

Is Towcester a Good Track for Staying Chasers?

Absolutely — Towcester is one of the most demanding and rewarding tracks in Britain for staying chasers. Its undulating layout, stiff climbs and tight turns make it a genuine test of stamina and jumping ability. Horses who have won over course and distance here carry that form forward with real confidence, which is why Grand Clermont, Sunray Shadow and Imperial Alex all deserve serious consideration in this race.

Who Are the Key Jockeys to Watch in This Race?

Harry Skelton on Sunray Shadow and Harry Cobden on Sony Bill are the two jockeys who will attract the most attention. Both are top-tier talents who can make a difference in a tight finish. Tom Hutsby on Sure Touch and Rian Corcoran on Grand Clermont are also well worth watching — this is a race stacked with quality in the saddle from first fence to last.