Haydock Park

Northwest Racing Masters 2009
Mon 16th Nov 09 - 11:31

NORTHWEST RACING MASTERS 2009
Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22, 2009

Next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22, 2009, marks the fifth Northwest Racing Masters which sees thrilling top-class horseracing at two of Britain's best racecourses, Haydock Park and Aintree.

The Northwest Racing Masters, from the first running in 2005, has established itself as a tremendous event, giving racegoers the opportunity of experiencing two different historic courses within a short journey of each other - Haydock Park, between Manchester and Liverpool and close to St Helens, Wigan and Warrington, and Aintree on the northern edge of Liverpool and not far from Southport. The racing is superb over the two days, with Haydock Park staging the £200,000 Grade One Betfair Chase as the highlight of a brilliant seven-race card on the first day of the Northwest Racing Masters and Aintree holding two excellent contests over the world-famous Grand National course among six races on day two, the £100,000 totesport.com Becher Chase and the £70,000 totesuper7 Grand Sefton Chase.

This year's renewal of the Betfair Chase is going to be a cracker. The outstanding chaser of recent years, Kauto Star, is due to bid for a third victory in the race and the expectation is that Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old can make amends after falling at the final fence last season. Kauto Star has won two Cheltenham Gold Cups. His main rivals for the three-mile chase are set to include last season's Grade One Ryanair Chase victor Imperial Commander, from the in-form stable of Nigel Twiston-Davies, and the Nicky Henderson-trained Barbers Shop who may also make his seasonal return at Haydock after coming seventh behind Kauto Star in the 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

David Pipe was narrowly denied 12 months ago when Tamarinbleu was collared near the line by Snoopy Loopy and the Pond House handler will this year be represented by Madison Du Berlais, who notched big-race victories last term in Newbury's Hennessy Gold Cup, the Levy Board Chase at Kempton and the totesport Bowl at Aintree in April. Nacarat made an eye-catching debut in Grade One company when coming third in the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree in April and trainer Tom George is expecting his stable star to improve significantly on his seasonal return, when he could only finish eighth in the Grade Two Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter at the start of November. The Donald McCain-trained Cloudy Lane has won on five of his eight starts at Haydock Park, including when taking the Grade Two Peter Marsh Chase in January, while a return to the course is also on the cards for Rambling Minster, who landed the Grade Three Blue Square Gold Cup at Haydock before being pulled up when well fancied for last season's John Smith's Grand National. 

Day two of the Northwest Racing Masters at Aintree on Sunday, November 22, features the £100,000 Listed totesport.com Becher Handicap Chase, which give horses the chance to test their John Smith's Grand National credentials over the Grand National fences. Last year, Black Apalachi revelled on the heavy ground to score a convincing victory over the 2007 winner Mr Pointment and the Dessie Hughes-trained chaser was leading the John Smith's Grand National prior to unseating Denis O'Regan at Becher's Brook in the second circuit.  Hughes is set to bid for a second successive victory in the totesport.com Becher Handicap Chase with his smart performer Vic Venturi, who was placed in Grade One company as a novice chaser and comfortably won a Clonmel chase on his seasonal return at the end of October.
Another potential Irish challenger is the Charlie Swan-trained Offshore Account, who landed a Grade One novice chase at the 2007 Punchestown Festival and came 15th in last season's John Smith's Grand National.  Nigel Twiston-Davies, the only current handler to have won the John Smith's Grand National on two occasions, could be represented by last year's John Smith's Topham Chase victor Irish Raptor and Hello Bud, who won theScottish Grand National at Ayr in April. Other likely runners include yesterday's second The Sawyer, who took a Grade Three handicap chase last season for trainer Bob Buckler, and the Charlie Longsdon-trained Palypso De Creek, a Grade Three winner over Auteuil's fences for former handler Jehan Bertran de Balanda.

The two racecourses are easily accessible by motorway, with Haydock Pak within a mile of the M6 off junction 23 and Aintree close to the end of both the M57 and M58. Both courses boast superb facilities and are ideal for a day out. The whole family can come, with accompanied children aged 16 and under admitted FREE OF CHARGE.

Entrance on the day at Haydock Park costs £45 (Premier Enclosure), £34 (County Enclosure), £20 (Tattersalls Enclosure) and £11 (Newton Enclosure), while Aintree has one enclosure at £19.
Aintree's raceday has one of the warmest, friendliest family atmospheres with Christmas activities marking the start of a very special season - there will be a visit from Santa and his real reindeer.
Dickon White, Managing Director at Haydock Park, said: "The Northwest Racing Masters is now in its fifth year and has firmly established its place in the racing calendar. With its two-day format at Haydock Park on the Saturday and Aintree on the Sunday, it has grown into a mini festival with a significant impact on the local economy in terms of hotel bookings as well as spending in restaurants and other entertainment facilities in the local area.

"We could not have asked for racing of a higher standard in the last four years, with Kauto Star's two Betfair Chase victories standing out. This year is all set to be another fabulous two days of the finest jump racing to be found anywhere and it will be an enthralling spectacle when Kauto Star returns to Haydock Park to attempt a third Betfair Chase victory. Our thanks go to Betfair for their continued sponsorship, while we are also grateful of the significant support of the local authority in their promotion of the Northwest Racing Masters."

Betfair's Head Of Media Tony Calvin commented: "This is our fifth year of the Betfair Chase and it has continued to attract the top-class horses from reigning Gold Cup winner Kicking King in 2005 to the imperious Kauto Star in recent seasons.

"Everyone is focusing on Kauto Star going for a third Gold Cup this year and a fourth King George, but he has also won the small matter of two Betfair Chases, the only other Grade One staying chase in the UK racing calendar. Let's hope he can make it three wins this year. In fact, it could have been the four-timer had he not stumbled and unseated his rider last year - I seem to recall that he was trading at 1-10 in running on Betfair at the time."

Emma Owen, Marketing & PR Manager at Aintree, remarked: "Day two of the Northwest Racing Masters at Aintree features two races over the Grand National fences, including the totesport.com Becher Chase which has proved to be a significant pointer to the John Smith's Grand National itself since its inception in 1992.

"Our thanks go to the tote for sponsoring that race again and the other contest over the Grand National fences, the totesuper7 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase.

"The day also offers fun and activities for all members of the family, while the start of the festive season ensures a tremendous atmosphere complete with Santa and his reindeer!"

George Primarolo of the tote said: "The Northwest Racing Masters has established itself as one of the main festivals in the National Hunt calendar and the racing at both Haydock and Aintree is nothing short of top-class.

"We are proud to have sponsored the totesport.com Becher Chase since 1998 and in that time the race has grown both in stature and in value. It has also become one of the most important Grand National trials of the year with two winners of the race having gone on to win the big one in April in the shape of Amberleigh House and Silver Birch."

For further information on the Northwest Racing Masters, please contact:
Dickon White, Managing Director at Haydock Park, on 01942 725963 or 07798 928924 or e-mail:
dickon.white@jockeyclubracecourses.com
Emma Owen, Marketing & PR Manager at Aintree, on 0151 522 2906 or 07917 266511 or e-mail:
emma.owen@jockeyclubracecourses.com