Happy 90th Birthday FRANK DAWN

THE RACING TV HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 3)

for five yrs old and upwards x Total prize fund £15000

Owners Prize Money Winner £6059; Second £3029; Third £1515; Fourth £758; Fifth £378 (Penalty Value £7921.50)

Leading course trainer (17-22): J O’Neill (14 wins from 77 runners, 18%) runs PRINCE ESCALUS

Trainer-in-form (last 14 days): J O’Neill (4 wins from 31 runners, 13%) runs PRINCE ESCALUS

Weightwatcher: SAO won off a handicap mark of 133, his rating is now down 10lb to 123.

Longest Traveller: PRINCE ESCALUS trained by J O’Neill, Cheltenham, 170 miles.

RACE DESCRIPTION This is a one mile and seven furlongs handicap steeple chase for five-year-olds and upwards which have been rated from 0 to 140. To qualify for a handicap rating horses must have won a race, been placed twice or raced at least three times in order for the handicapper to gauge the level of form shown. This rating then dictates the weight to be carried in a handicap In simple terms a horse rated 135 in this particular race would be required to carry 5lb more than a rival rated 130.

1 XCITATIONS (GB) (19) 11-4110

B g Universal (IRE) - Bonnet’s Pieces

Owner: G. Libson,D. Bayliss,T. Davies & P. Sly

Breeder: Mrs P. Sly

8 12-0

Jockey: Mr Jack Andrews (3)

Trainer: Pam Sly, Peterborough

Sponsor: Pam Sly Racing

TIMEFORM VIEW Ended last season with back-to-back wins and upped his game further this term with victories at Doncaster (16.4f) and Sandown (15.5f). Below best latest but eased in grade now and must enter calculations. Star RatingHHHHI BHA 140

2 HASANKEY (IRE) (10) 116-260 CD

Gr g Mastercraftsman (IRE) - Haziyna (IRE)

Owner: The Hanky Panky Partnership

Breeder: His Highness The Aga Khan’s Studs S.C.

7 11-11

Jockey: Lewis Dobb (7)

Trainer: L J Morgan, Waltham On The Wolds

Sponsor: Postpack Ltd

TIMEFORMVIEWMadeexcellentstridesoverfenceslastseason,winning3onthebouncepriortofinishingsixthinGrandAnnualattheFestival.Crackingsecondat AyronreturninOctoberandshapedbetterthandistancebeatenwhenseventhatMusselburgh(15.8f)latest.Notoutofthings. StarRatingHHHII BHA137(-3)

3 PRINCE ESCALUS (IRE) (19) 112-540

B g Jeremy (USA) - So You Said (IRE)

Owner: The As You Like It Syndicate

Breeder: Ms Anne Marie Ryan

8 11-8

Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

Trainer: Jonjo O’Neill, Cheltenham

Sponsor: Wasdell Group

TIMEFORM VIEW Started 2022 with a pair of 2m wins at Hereford but hasn’t been able to add to those victories and went backwards from his encouraging return effort at Doncaster last month.

4 RETURN TICKET (IRE) (10) 6P5526 CD

B g Getaway (GER) - Capelvenere (IRE)

Owner: Mr John Wade

Breeder: Michael Ward

Jockey: Sean Quinlan

10 11-6

Trainer: Rebecca Menzies, Sedgefield

Sponsor: Stonegrave Aggregates Ltd, Bluegrass Horse Feeds

TIMEFORMVIEW

5 ROSE SEA HAS (FR) (16) 422312 CD

Gr g Kapgarde (FR) - Vaibuscar Has (FR)

Owner: The Berrow Hill Partnership

Breeder: S.C.E.A. Hamel Stud

Star RatingHHHII BHA 132 (-2)

Wontwicefrom4startslastseason,notablyalistedhandicapatAyr(2m,good)inApril.Beenratherinandoutsince but a reproduction of the form of his Kelso second in December would make him a player here.

8 10-13

Jockey: Charlie Hammond

Trainer: Dr Richard Newland, Droitwich

Sponsor: Coulthursts Ltd

TIMEFORMVIEWConsistentperformerwhoopenedhisaccountfortheseasonwhenmakingmostatFontwell(17.8f)onBoxingDay. Excellent second at Hereford (16f, good to soft) since and looks sure to go well again.

6 SAO (FR) (84) B4-3365 CD

B or Br g Great Pretender (IRE) - Miss Country (FR)

Owner: Gary Eves and Partner

Breeder: Mr Philippe Gasdoue

Star RatingHHHII BHA 125

9 10-11

Jockey: Nathan Moscrop

Trainer: Rebecca Menzies, Sedgefield

Sponsor: Bluegrass Horse Feeds

TIMEFORM VIEW Three-time winner in 2020/21 over this sort of trip Not managed to get his head in front since but is now 10lb below his last winning mark and is worth a second look in the market.

Star RatingHHHHH BHA 123

7 JOKE DANCER (GB) (19) 142630 CD 10 10-8

Ch g Authorized (IRE) - Missy Dancer

Owner: D G Pryde & D Van Der Hoeven

Breeder: Ashbrittle Stud

Jockey: Ross Chapman

Trainer: Sue Smith, Bingley

Sponsor: Tuffa Footwear Ltd

TIMEFORMVIEWLanded a pair of handicaps at Kelso (17.1f) in the spring and made a creditable return from 5-month break when runner-up over C&D in October However, hasn’t been in the same form since.

Star RatingHHIII BHA 120

DECLARED RUNNERS 7

2022: HASANKEY (IRE) 6 11 0 Lewis Dobb 3-1 (L J Morgan) 6 ran

Visor worn by No 2. Tongue Strap worn by No 4. Hood, Tongue Strap worn by No 6. Sheepskin Cheek Pieces worn by No 4, 7.

Stewards Note:

XCITATIONS: Following its run on 27/1/2023 it was reported that the horse finished slightly lame.

Probable S.P’s: 11-4 Xcitations (GB), 3-1 Rose Sea Has (FR), 13-2 Sao (FR), 7-1 Return Ticket (IRE), 10-1 Hasankey (IRE), Prince Escalus (IRE), 14-1 Joke Dancer (GB)

The likely strong pace should suit C&D winner SAO, who can go well after a break and is nicely handicapped. Xcitations and Rose Sea Has look the likeliest dangers.

PLAY SMARTER

TIMEFORM PREDICTION: 1.SAO (FR) 2.XCITATIONS 3.ROSE SEA HAS (FR)

The Result

WETHERBY STEEPLECHASE COMMITTEE LTD will present a memento to the winning owner of this race and £50 to the stablehand in charge of the best turned out horse.

Rip Colin Baldwin

We were saddened to hear of the recent passing of Colin Baldwin; a true gentleman, who loved his racing. Our thoughts are with his family today.

Abbreviations

BF—Beaten Favourite. B—Brought Down. C—Course Winner. D—Distance Winner. F—Fell. P—Pulled Up. R—Refused. S—Slipped Up. U—Unseated. d—Disqualified. r—Ran Out.

First Aid

A First Aid team attend all of our racedays. They are located in the Paddock Enclosure adjacent to the William Hill Betting Shop.

DISCOVER BRITISH RACING’S

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION ACTIVITY racingtogether.co.uk @RacingTogether

Horse Welfare

Here at Wetherby Racecourse we are committed to minimising risks, dealing quickly and humanely with injuries, and maintaining the highest possible quality of life for the animals in our care. At every meeting we have three specially qualified Equine Vets appointed to look after the welfare of all horses in action. There is also a British Horseracing Authority Veterinary Officer in attendance.

During the race three vets follow the action from the centre of the course and can attend to a horse in the same response time as the Paramedic Teams responsible for treating the injured jockeys.

It is standard policy that in the event of a horse requiring veterinary treatment whilst on site, screens will be erected round the horse. It is designed to afford the vet and the patient some privacy. Please do not assume the worst.