Big crowd expected for Stratford's Family Day
THERE should be one of the biggest crowds of the summer at Stratford on Sunday, when the course stages its popular Family Day, featuring the Class 2 Sunday Mercury Handicap Chase with a prize fund of £20,000, writes David Hucker.
Despite this being the height of the Flat season, all three meetings in Great Britain on Sunday are over the jumps, giving owners and trainers plenty of races to choose from.
With a lower number of horses in training during the summer months, the competition for runners could have impacted on field sizes but, with over half the entries being declared, there will be 89 in all, making for some exciting racing.
Gloucester trainer Tom George has chosen Parsnip Pete, a winner at Aintree before being hampered close home when finishing third at Uttoxeter, from his two entries in the feature race.
He should run well again, but will face stiff competition from top-weight Sharp Rise.
Trained near Over Norton by Charlie Longsdon, the progressive Sharp Rise has won six of his ten starts over the last two seasons, including at Uttoxeter last time off Sunday’s mark of 145. He has won on all types of ground and, with Graham Watters reducing his weight by 3lbs, should have a good chance of lifting the valuable prize.
Trainer Gordon Elliott sends plenty of runners across the Irish Sea and he runs Trespassed, still looking for his first win after seven starts, in the opening Coventry Telegraph Juvenile Hurdle over two miles. Previously with William Haggas at Newmarket, Trespassed had his first run for Elliott last month and this doesn’t look to be the stiffest of tasks on his hurdles debut.
Itsamysterytome was beaten 10 lengths by Milrow on her debut at Market Rasen and should improve for that run.
Masterson, trained by Mick Channon, won over a mile and a quarter at Bath on firm going, the same trip that Schoolboy Error scored over on the all-weather at Chelmsford. Alan King’s Invocation is another who has run on the Flat, but is still to taste success.
Sixteen will face the starter in the following Peugeot Citroen Handicap Chase, including Fort Gabriel, a beaten favourite last time when only third at Fakenham, but a good winner at Taunton previously. At only five years old, he may still be improving and take jockey Andrew Thornton closer to his target of 1,000 career wins.
Five course winners line up in the Shakespeare Martineau Handicap Hurdle (for The Stratford Summer Salver), but it is I’dliketheoption, who has not run at the track since his debut in May 2015, who catches the eye.
He finished behind another of Sunday’s runners Sir Dylan when unplaced at Uttoxeter on his last run, but has the better of the weights this time. Owned by J P McManus, he will be ridden by his retained jockey Barry Geraghty, who travels from Ireland to take the mount.
The Prior Products Windows And Doors Handicap Chase looks a trappy affair but Faith Jicaro, who has run well at the course before, may be worth an each-way bet.
Avispa, who couldn’t get near enough to challenge behind runaway winner Ivor’s Queen at Newton Abbot last time, will be looking to get back on the winning trail in the Birmingham Mail "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle,
Her main rival looks to be Stamp Your Feet, who was impressive when winning by six lengths at Fontwell Park, although none of those who filled the places have run again to test the form. He could well go off favourite to give Barry Geraghty a double on the afternoon.
The concluding Brummies Conditional Jockeys´ Handicap Hurdle has been divided into two, making it an eight-race card. Both look competitive heats, but it may pay to follow Lady Persephone in the second division which brings the curtain down at 6.10pm.
Alongside the racing, which gets underway at 2.20pm, is a host of family entertainment, including The Sheep Show, face painters, circus skills. inflatables with a surf simulator, Bubblemania and Teddy and Otto walkabout act. The centre of the course will be open from 10.30am.
