Record crowd gets New Year celebrations underway at Warwick races
Weather permitting, Saturday will see one of the highlights of the Warwick season when the £100,000 William Hill Half A Mill Classic Handicap Chase over three miles and five furlongs tops a seven-race card that gets underway at 12.45pm.
The sponsors are offering a £500,000 bonus if the winner goes on to land the Randox Grand National at Aintree in April, a feat achieved in 2017 by One For Arthur. Last year's meeting was abandoned because of a frozen track, but the 2024 winner My Silver Lining, who loves soft ground, could be going for a repeat win on the back of her good run when second to the progressive Grand Geste at Haydock Park last month.
The frost covers put down ahead of Warwick's final meeting of 2025 did their job as, after an early morning inspection, the track was passed fit for racing and a record crowd of 8,218 packed the course to get the New Year celebrations underway.
Six set out for the opening PricedUp Daily Racing Boosts Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase over three miles, but the field was reduced to four before halfway with Kilbarry Hill falling and favourite Catch Catchfire unseating his jockey. The race went to top-weight Happy And Fine who, after being held up early, was sent into the lead by Tom Broughton four fences from home and ran on resolutely to deny The Newest One by 1¼ lengths.
Rookie trainer Chester Williams made it six winners from 19 runners for the season when Indannya, ridden by Lorcan Williams, led four flights from the finish and ran on well to beat Fresh As A Daisy in the PricedUp The Jumps EBF Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs. Indannya had entered the home straight chased by Coolkatie, but she fell at the final flight, leaving the winner in the clear.
Following Chapter, who had been prominent throughout, took over from long-time leader Katira Du Mestivel at the penultimate flight to land the pricedup.bet Novices' Handicap Hurdle. He had jumped to his left at final flight, interfering with Madajovy on his inside, but it made no difference to the result as he was four lengths clear at the line.
The crowd turned up the volume for the finish of The Racing Blogger Handicap Chase as Roger Rarebit and Koenigsstern jumped the last two fences together and were locked in battle on the run-in with Roger Rarebit, ridden by Stan Sheppard, overcoming a 253-day absence to finish the stronger.
Wilmcote trainer Olly Murphy continues to clock up the winners and, after Lon Chaney had scored at Uttoxeter earlier in the afternoon, doubled up with Benign Dictator who carried 12-0 to victory in the longest race of the afternoon, the Download The PricedUp App Handicap Hurdle. Brought with a well-timed run by Joshua Bryan, he collared leader Sunshine Diamond at the final flight before going clear on the run-in.
Three horses jumped the final fence together in the pricedup.bet Handicap Chase and it was 13/8 favourite Stick With Me Sam who came out ahead of the Katy Price trained pair El Rojo Grande and Chestnut Pete to complete the jumping action before £190,000 purchase Risky Obsession landed the closing PricedUp Supports British Racing Open National Hunt Flat Race to ensure that Dan and Harry Skelton didn't leave the course empty-handed.