Warwick hoping for another bumper crowd for Classic Chase Day

Bumper crowd of over 8,000 filling the stands on New Year's Eve (photo by David Pratt)

There's a whopping £272,000 in prize money on offer at Warwick's Classic Chase Day on Saturday topped by the £100,000 Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase run over three miles and five furlongs.

Last year saw a win for My Silver Lining, who beat Galia Des Liteaux by three-quarters of a length in a thrilling finish. The Emma Lavelle-trained grey mare provided an emotional success for jockey James Best, being owned by his mother-in-law, Celia Djivanovic. This was Lavelle’s third victory in the race, having won previously with Shotgun Paddy (2014) and Eclair Surf (2022).

My Silver Lining has been entered again this year and after a slow start to the season, showed something like her old form when third at Hereford. Mr Vango has been raised 4lbs for his win in Sandown Park's London National Handicap Chase last month and Lady Balko would be seeking a four-timer after wins at Plumpton (twice) and Hereford.

Irish trainer Gordon Elliott has entered two in the shape of the experienced Duffle Coat, who has run eleven times over fences, and the novice Shannon Royale, who has just three runs under his belt, winning a beginners chase at Punchestown last time out.

Special Acceptance and Freddie Gingell jump the final fence in Warwick's feature race on New Year's Eve (photo by David Pratt)

The seven-race card gets underway at 12.42pm with the Watch Racing On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle over two miles and gates will open two hours before. Next up is the Class 2 Shrewley "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle followed by the Warwick Handicap Chase over two and a half miles.

Second most valuable race of the day is the £75,000 Trustatrader Hampton Novices' Chase over three miles which is the target for Handstands, winner of a Grade 2 contest at Sandown Park last month. Resplendent Grey, runner-up that day, could take him on again and Cherie d'Am, an impressive winner of a mares race over the course last time, takes a step up in class.

The card is completed by the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle, a qualifier for the final at the Cheltenham Festival in March in which Elliott has entered three, and the Kigass Centenary Open National Hunt Flat Race.

There was a party atmosphere amongst the sell-out crowd of over 8,000 at Warwick's New Year's Eve meeting and, despite the gloomy weather forecast, it stayed dry with racegoers in good voice throughout the afternoon.

Young jockey Freddie Gingell is only in his fourth season of riding, but has a 21% strike rate this campaign and landed his 67th career success when Special Acceptance struck for the first time in four years when taking the feature Poundland Conditional Jockeys' Veterans' Handicap Chase.