A Sunday Well Spent at Towcester

My old dad used to say that Sunday racing was God's way of making up for Monday mornings. I've never had cause to argue with him, and a glance at today's Towcester racecard suggests the Almighty was in a particularly generous mood this week. Seven races, good ground, and a card that mixed competitive handicap chasing with some genuinely intriguing juvenile hurdling. Not bad for a warm July Sunday in Northamptonshire.

Towcester is one of those courses that punters either love or quietly dread — that stiff, undulating track has a habit of finding out the idle ones and rewarding the genuine stayers. On good ground today (Soft in places, Stiffness Measure 52, for those who like their numbers), the emphasis was very much on horses with stamina and jumping ability. Flat-track bullies need not apply.

The Feature Race: The Sheila and Wayne Golden Wedding Anniversary Handicap Chase

First things first — a very warm congratulations to Sheila and Wayne on their Golden Wedding Anniversary. Fifty years is some innings, and sponsoring a Class 2 handicap chase worth £22,600 over three miles at Towcester is, frankly, a magnificent way to celebrate. My own wedding anniversary tends to involve a Marks & Spencer meal deal and an argument about whose turn it is to put the bins out, so I take my hat off to them.

Now, to the racing. This was the race of the day on paper, and it didn't disappoint. With Bagheera Ginge a non-runner, we were left with eight runners, and what a competitive heat it looked. At the top of the weights, Sure Touch (Tom Hutsby, rated 135) carried the burden of favouritism and the course form flag — that C next to his name is always worth respecting around here. He's a horse who travels well and jumps efficiently, which matters enormously on this track.

Sony Bill (Harry Cobden, rated 132) was the one many of us had circled before racing. Harry Cobden doesn't turn up at Towcester on a Sunday afternoon for the fresh air — when he makes the trip, you pay attention. Sony Bill's rating of 132 puts him right in the mix, and he's the type who appreciates a test of stamina.

Sunray Shadow (Harry Skelton, rated 129) is another with course and distance form, and Harry Skelton was in fine form across the card today. Grand Clermont (Rian Corcoran, rated 130) is a horse I've had a soft spot for since watching him jump a fence at Cheltenham last winter — he's a bold, fluent jumper, and bold jumping pays dividends at Towcester.

At the bottom of the weights, The Flying Poet (Sean Bowen, rated 112) was the interesting each-way proposition. Twenty-three pounds below the top weight, with Sean Bowen in the saddle — that's not a combination you dismiss lightly.

Ones to Follow from the Afternoon

If there's one thing I enjoy more than watching a good race, it's spotting the horses who'll be worth following next time out. Today's card threw up a few interesting names.

  • Zillow (Harry Cobden, rated 130) in the Class 2 Gary and Mavis Bird Family Raceday Handicap Hurdle over 2m7f is a horse I'd be keeping firmly in the notebook. Rated 130 and with Cobden aboard, he's clearly in good form this summer. A horse of this calibre dropping into a summer handicap hurdle often has a bit more up his sleeve than the mark suggests.
  • War Correspondent (Paddy Hanlon, rated 118) in the Ken Boulton Memorial Handicap Hurdle was the top-rated runner in that Class 4 heat and, with Ice Jet a non-runner, faced a reduced field. Paddy Hanlon has been quietly impressive this summer and War Correspondent looks the type to go on improving.
  • Country Park (Jonjo O'Neill Jr., rated 118) in the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship Chase is one that caught my eye. He's an ARC Summer Chase Series qualifier, which means connections have a plan for him, and Jonjo Jr. is riding with real confidence at the moment. If he ran well today, keep him very much onside.
  • In the juvenile hurdle opener, Salkadan (Harry Skelton) and Zooter (Sean Bowen) were the two I'd have been watching most closely. Juveniles are always a bit of a lottery in July, but both trainers — Dan Skelton and the Bowen yard respectively — know how to place a young hurdler, and either could be anything.

Jockey Watch: Skelton and Bowen Dominate the Card

If you were looking for a theme across today's seven races, it was the sheer volume of quality rides going to Harry Skelton and Sean Bowen. Between them, they had mounts across nearly every race on the card — Skelton riding for his brother Dan's powerful yard, Bowen doing what Bowen does, which is turn up, ride brilliantly, and make it look easy.

Skelton had rides in the juvenile hurdle (Salkadan), the feature chase (Sunray Shadow), the Class 2 hurdle (Tyson), the Summer Jumps Chase (At The Oche), and the closing handicap hurdle (Jafimgoso). That's a full book of rides and, if the Skelton yard is firing — and it usually is — there could be a big day lurking in those numbers.

Bowen, meanwhile, had Zooter in the opener, Diesel Line in the Ken Boulton, The Flying Poet in the feature, Shallow River in the Class 2 hurdle, and Crafty Gael in the closer. A punter who backed Sean Bowen blind across a card often does worse things with their money, I can tell you that from painful personal experience.

Paddy Hanlon also deserves a mention — four rides across the card including War Correspondent and Lakefield Flyer, suggesting connections trust him with their better horses at present.

Looking Ahead: Where Do These Horses Go Next?

Summer jumping is a funny old game. The horses who run well on good ground in July often find themselves pitched into something more valuable come the autumn, and today's card had several who could be worth tracking through the back end of the season.

The ARC Summer Chase Series qualifier — won by whoever impressed most in the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship Chase — gives the winner a pathway to a series final, so keep an eye on the form from that race. Country Park and Palamon (Charlie Todd, rated 121) both looked interesting on paper.

The GBB (Go-Between Bonus) races on today's card — the juvenile hurdle, the feature chase, and the Class 2 hurdles — all carry bonuses for horses who win having also won at a previous qualifying meeting. That adds an extra layer of intrigue and suggests some of these runners have been specifically targeted at this card by shrewd connections.

For the juveniles, the likes of Salkadan and Zooter could well be seen at Ffos Las, Uttoxeter, or Worcester over the coming weeks as connections look to build experience before the autumn juvenile hurdle programme kicks into gear.

Final Thoughts from the Paddock

All in all, a very satisfying Sunday afternoon's racing at Towcester. The good ground produced fair, honest races, the feature chase had genuine depth, and there were enough interesting juveniles and progressive handicappers across the card to keep the notebook busy for the weeks ahead.

If you missed any of today's action, the full results and replays will be up on the Towcester racecard page shortly. Have a look through the winning distances and the in-running comments — on a track like Towcester, the horse who travels smoothly and jumps well is almost always the one worth following next time.

Until next time — good luck, back the ones you like, and remember: Sheila and Wayne made it to fifty years. The least we can do is enjoy the racing they helped put on. Cheers to them both.