Sky Bet Chase Betting Tips and Offers

The National Hunt action is really beginning to hot up come the second half of January. The trials for the major Cheltenham Festival contests have now begun in earnest. It’s not all about the Graded showpiece events though and Doncaster does its bit to keep the handicap action ticking over with this race. Here we take a look at the best odds and racing offers for the Sky Bet Chase, and provide our betting tips for the contest.

The Sky Bet Chase is the headline race from a quality card at Doncaster on Saturday. Officially registered as the Great Yorkshire Chase, this is a very competitive handicap which is run over 3 miles and provides a healthy prize of £57,000 for the winner.

The average price of the last 10 winners of the Sky Bet Chase is around 9/1 which shows that whilst surprise winners from further down the betting are possible (The Rainbow Hunter is the biggest priced winner of the last decade at 25/1) punters will rightly be focussing towards the top of the betting when making their picks.

Sky Bet Chase Tips and Betting Offers, 3:15, 25th January 2020

The Sky Bet Chase is the feature race of the two day meeting that bears its name at Doncaster. After much entertainment for those who turned up to the course on Friday, the action gets even better on Saturday which is when the Sky Bet Chase itself takes place.

This 3 mile handicap features 18 fences and is set to include 14 horses. As ever, the field is very competitive with potential winners throughout the market. This is a race that has produced winners ranging from 4/1 favourites to 25/1 outsiders so punters have their work cut out.

King Holds a Strong Hand Again

The Sky Bet Chase has been an important contest going back to the days when it was known as the Great Yorkshire Chase. Fred Rimell, who first saddled a winner of the contest back in 1949, is the most successful trainer with four winners but Alan King will be hopeful that he can break that record in the coming years.

The King yard has a very good recent record in the Sky Bet Chase and turn up mobhanded with a very strong string of horses for the 2020 renewal. Azzerti looks to be fairly treated by the handicapper and Good Man Pat is an improving chaser who might make an impact but it’s Dingo Dollar who is King’s best chance of earning his third win in three years.

The bookies haven’t missed Dingo Dollar, indeed he goes into the race as the favourite at a best price of 11/2 with bet365. The eight-year-old is deserving of that billing though as he ticks so many of the boxes required for the Sky Bet Chase.

Dingo Dollar finished a credible fifth in last year’s running of the Sky Bet Chase and carries 2lb less this time around. It’s clear that King has been targeting this race as he hasn’t been seen since finishing fifth in the Ladbrokes Trophy. A fresh Dingo Dollar can build on that performance to justify the support he’s getting from punters.

Quarenta More Than Capable of a Place

The one concern for Dingo Dollar’s backers is that he will have to carry more weight than most recent winners of the Sky Bet Chase. Those who are looking for an option with less weight on his back should consider the chances of Quarenta at 12/1 with Coral.

It took Jonjo O’Neill’s eight-year-old a race to get up to speed this season and he looked better on his second and third appearances than his first at Warwick. After beating just two horses at Fontwell, Quarenta performed very well in a highly competitive 3 mile handicap at Kempton just after Christmas.

It was a jumping mistake late on that ultimately cost Quarenta at Kempton. Second place was still impressive given he prefers a stiffer test. He should get that on Saturday so expect Quarenta to serve it up to those ahead of him in the betting.

Betting Predictions

This is shaping up to be a cracking race but with so much betting opportunity it’s not one to simply sit back and watch. Dingo Dollar rightly heads the betting at 11/2 and appears well placed to improve King’s record in the Sky Bet Chase but Quarenta is every bit as appealing if for an each way bet at 12/1 with Coral.

Previous Race Winners

2019 – Go Conquer – jockey Tom Bellamy, trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies
2018 – Wakanda – jockey Henry Brooke, trainer Sue Smith
2017 – Ziga Boy – jockey Tom Bellamy, trainer Alan King
2016 – Ziga Boy – jockey Brendan Powell, trainer Alan King
2015 – If In Doubt – jockey Tony McCoy, trainer Philip Hobbs
2014 – The Rainbow Hunter – jockey Nick Schofield, trainer Kim Bailey
2013 – Abandoned
2012 – Calgary Bay – jockey Dominic Elsworth, trainer Henrietta Knight
2011 – Abandoned
2010 – Abandoned
2009 – Big Fella Thanks – jockey Christian Williams, trainer Paul Nicholls
2008 – An Accordion – jockey J W Farrelly, trainer David Pipe
2007 – Simon – jockey Andrew Thornton, trainer Jon Spearing

Sky Bet Handicap Chase History and Top Jockeys/Trainers

The race still known to many as the Great Yorkshire Chase first took place at the South Yorkshire venue of Doncaster back in 1948. All bar two of the editions run to date have taken place on Town Moor, although it must be said this race has suffered more than most due to the vagaries of the northern weather. Rerouted to Southwell in 2006 and 2007, the race has been abandoned altogether on a further 15 occasions since its inception.

The race’s most talented winner came early in its history, in the form of the Vincent O’Brien trained, Knock Hard. Having previously been a pretty smart performer on the flat – winning the Irish Lincoln- he followed up his win here in 1953 with a famous success in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Other popular winners include E.S.B (1957) and Nicolaus Silver (1962), who each landed the Grand National a year prior to their wins in this. At 11 years old at the time of his victory, E.S.B also makes into the record books as the race’s oldest ever winner.

Jockeys and Trainers

Whilst a handful of jockeys have landed this prize twice over the years, only one has found himself in the winner’s enclosure on three occasions. That honour belongs to Tim Molony, whose hat-trick of wins between 1951 and 1957 make him the most successful rider in the history of the race.

Fred Rimmel was the man to provide Molony with his final winner, E.S.B in 1957. Having taken the prize on three further occasions it is legendary handler Rimmell who is out in front in the training ranks.

NB – Cheltenham draws nearer by the day – check out our Cheltenham Festival offers and enhanced odds!