CRISP AND DESSIE SET STANDARD

Andy Newton find the clues to solve Kempton’s big race

- Andy Newton

Not long till the Cheltenham Festival folks – this time next month we’ll be within touching distance of the best four days on the jumping calendar, but before that there’s still plenty to look forward to with the Close Brothers Chase, at Kempton Park, one of the February features – run on Saturday, the 27th.

To slightly older racing fans, this race will still be referred to as the Racing Post Chase with the contest run under that title from 1988 till 2011!

This 3m Grade 3 Handicap Chase is steeped in history, too, with greats like Crisp (1972) and Desert Orchid (1990) topping the hall of fame, while in more recent times trainers Colin Tizzard and Philip Hobbs, plus jockeys Richard Johnson, Paddy Brennan and Sam Twiston-Davies have all done well.

Yes, since 1999 the Hobbs camp have taken the race four times and jockey Richard Johnson has landed the spoils on five occasions. While in the last eleven renewals we’ve seen Paddy Brennan steer home three winners and Sam Twiston-Davies has ridden two of the last six.

Twelve months ago, in 2020 we saw the Colin Tizzard yard win their second success since 2016 with a horse called Mister Malarky and if this 8 year-old lines-up again he’ll be looking to become the first horse since Docklands Express (1991-92) to win this prize in back-to-back years. Although, it’s worth pointing out, the popular grey – Nacarat – did take this race in 2009 and again in 2012.