A Solid Sunday Card on the Northamptonshire Hills

There are worse ways to spend a July Sunday than up on the undulating banks of Towcester. It's a track that sorts horses out — that long climb to the finish is unforgiving, and it catches out plenty of flashy types who look the part in the paddock but haven't got the engine to back it up when it matters. Eight races are carded this afternoon, and with the going reported as Good (Soakometer: 52), we're in ideal summer jumping territory. Enough give to keep the ground safe, not so much cut that it becomes a slog. The good ground suits athletic, well-balanced jumpers — horses that travel through their race rather than grinding it out.

Check out the full Towcester racecard for all the details, but let me walk you through what I'm looking at today.

The Feature Race: £22.6k Class 2 Handicap Chase (15:42)

The Sheila and Wayne Golden Wedding Anniversary Handicap Steeple Chase over three miles is the standout race of the afternoon — the richest prize on the card at £22.6k and a GBB qualifier to boot. Nine runners, though Bagheera Ginge is a non-runner, leaving eight to go to post. This is a proper staying chase with some serious course form in the line-up.

Sure Touch (10yo, rated 135) heads the weights and brings course form to the table — that C flag doesn't lie. Olly Murphy's veteran knows his way around here, and Tom Hutsby takes the ride. At ten, he's no spring chicken, but Murphy's horses are rarely out of form, and the good ground won't inconvenience him. He's the one they all have to beat off the top mark.

Sunray Shadow (7yo, rated 129) for the Dan Skelton yard catches the eye significantly. Course and distance winner — both boxes ticked — and Harry Skelton takes the ride. The Skelton operation doesn't send horses to Towcester in July without a plan, and Sunray Shadow's profile fits this race like a glove. Seven years old, in the prime of his career, and proven on this track over this trip. The four-pound pull on Sure Touch looks workable.

Grand Clermont (10yo, rated 130) for David Pipe also holds course and distance form, and Rian Corcoran is an underrated booking in this company. He's another older model, but Pipe knows how to have these horses ready for summer targets, and the good ground suits his style of runner.

My selection in the feature is Sunray Shadow. Course and distance form, in-form yard, and the right jockey for this track. Hard to oppose.

Key Runners Across the Card

14:42 — Mares' Handicap Hurdle (Class 5)

The mares' handicap opens up with twelve runners and a spread of form that makes this genuinely competitive. Miss Oreo tops the ratings at 98 for the John Joseph Hanlon yard, with Paddy Hanlon in the saddle — a combination that's been in decent nick. But the one who really interests me here is Prettylady (4yo, rated 91) for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, ridden by Jack Tudor. She carries a distance winner's tag [D], and Tudor is a jockey who absolutely maximises horses on tracks like this — he rides the hill at Towcester as well as anyone currently operating in the jumping game. At a lower rating than the top two, she looks overpriced if the market underestimates that course-specific form.

Lady Fortune (6yo, rated 83) also holds both course and distance form [C,D] for Barry Brennan, and Isabelle Ryder's claim could be useful. Worth a place at least.

15:12 — Ken Boulton Memorial Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)

Ice Jet is a non-runner, which tightens this up considerably. War Correspondent (7yo, rated 118) heads the market for John Joseph Hanlon and Paddy Hanlon — he's the classiest horse in the field on ratings, but he's carrying top weight without course or distance form on his card. Drombeg Lad (6yo, rated 108) for Alex Hales carries both the C and D flags, and Kielan Woods is a shrewd booking on a horse who clearly goes well around here. With ten pounds in hand on War Correspondent, the handicapper may have given him a chance. I'd be looking at Drombeg Lad each-way at a price.

16:12 — Class 2 Handicap Hurdle (£18.6k)

The Gary and Mavis Bird Family Raceday Handicap Hurdle is another valuable prize and another race where course form matters. Zillow (6yo, rated 130) is the top-rated runner and Harry Cobden takes the ride for Faye Bramley — a combination that's been worth following all season. Roger Pol (8yo, rated 125) holds both course and distance form [C,D] for Jamie Snowden, and Isabelle Ryder partners him again. He's the each-way alternative if Zillow drifts in the market. Shallow River for Olly Murphy (rated 127) also has distance form and Sean Bowen aboard — Murphy doubles up with a strong hand this afternoon.

16:42 — ARC Summer Chase Series Qualifier (Class 4)

This qualifier over two and a half miles sees Dan Skelton saddle three — Palamon, Belle Le Grand, and At The Oche — which tells you everything about how seriously the yard is taking this afternoon's card. Palamon (6yo, rated 121) is the pick of the trio on ratings and carries distance form [D], with Charlie Todd in the saddle. Country Park (7yo, rated 118) for Jonjo O'Neill Jr. also has distance form and represents a yard that knows how to win these summer qualifiers. This looks a competitive little race, but Palamon's combination of rating and course suitability makes him hard to leave out.

How the Going Affects Today's Selections

Good ground at Towcester in July is the sweet spot for National Hunt racing. The Soakometer reading of 52 tells me the ground has some moisture in it — this isn't rattling fast, and it isn't testing. Horses that want to bowl along and jump fluently will thrive. It actively penalises the heavy-ground plodders who need cut to get competitive, and it rewards the athletic types.

Crucially for a track as demanding as this one, good ground means the hill at the finish is genuinely testing rather than brutal. Horses that stay well but also travel — like Sunray Shadow and Drombeg Lad — are ideally suited. I'd be warier of anything that needs to grind it out from the front, as the pace tends to be honest on good ground and the finish can stretch a field dramatically.

Best Bets and Ones to Watch

  • Best Bet: Sunray Shadow (15:42) — Course and distance form, Skelton in the saddle, and a prime age for a chaser. The one I want most on the card.
  • Each-Way: Drombeg Lad (15:12) — Ten pounds off the top weight, proven around here, and Woods is a canny pilot for this type of race.
  • Each-Way: Prettylady (14:42) — Jack Tudor on a distance winner in a mares' handicap. He'll make the most of the Towcester hill.
  • One to Watch: Palamon (16:42) — Skelton's number one in the qualifier. If he goes well here, he could be interesting in the series final.
  • Longshot: Lady Fortune (14:42) — Course and distance form at the bottom of the weights in the mares' race. Ryder's claim brings her into the conversation.

It's a full afternoon's racing on a course that always delivers drama. The hill finds out the pretenders, and the good ground will ensure a proper test. Enjoy the card — and if you're there in person, the view from the stands on a July afternoon is hard to beat in British jumping. Good luck.