Uttoxeter’s competitive eight-race card on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Racing, has attracted a number of Irish raiders alongside Britain’s top jumps trainers.
3.05 Uttoxeter – Peaches And Cream faces in-form Go On Chez
Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell sends Peaches And Cream across the Irish Sea to take top weight in an excellent class two feature, the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Handicap Chase (3.05pm).
The seven-year-old has been mixing it in some of Ireland’s top staying handicaps of late, finishing fourth in the Grade B Troytown at Navan last November before coming home third in the Ulster National in March.
He finally got a deserved victory at Punchestown to end the 2021/22 season and has been given the best part of three months off the track and will be fancied to score again with 5lb claimer Kieren Buckley booked.
The main home challenge comes from Oliver Greenall’s Go On Chez, who is seeking a remarkable six-timer – seven if you include his last point-to-point victory.
Despite showing next to nothing in five starts over hurdles in 2020, the six-year-old has relished the switch to the fences, winning all five of his starts under rules, including in class three company at Aintree last month.
Champion jockey Brian Hughes is booked on Rebecca Curtis’ Ruthless Article, winless since June last year but showed significant improvement when a 50/1 runner-up in the Listed Summer Cup over course and distance last month.
Brian Hughes trails Sean Bowen by three in the Jump Jockeys’ Championship
3.40 Uttoxeter – Recent winners Wbee & Calum Gilhooley clash
Another horse in flying form of late is Gary Hanmer’s Wbee, who heads the field for the Amber Windows Josh Roberts Handicap Hurdle (3.40).
The seven-year-old racked up four wins in a row between April and August last year and returned to the track this April with victory in a valuable Cheltenham handicap.
Things did not go to plan at Haydock after that, but Wbee stormed back to form three weeks later at Cartmel and takes a step down in grade here.
He is unlikely to have things entirely his own way here, though, with Calum Gilhooley making an eagerly-anticipated first start for trainer David Thompson, having ended his spell with Graeme McPherson by winning at Bangor in August last year.
Leading jumps trainer Fergal O’Brien steps Mulberry Hill up to this two-mile-and-seven-furlong trip for the first time after being narrowly denied in his last two runs, including last time out at this track.
Wbee and Brain Carver win at Stratford in 2021
4.15 Uttoxeter – McConnell and Buckley team up with Irish raider
Buckley travels over to partner Irish raider in the Helen Leech Birthday Surprise Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (4.15) as he gets aboard John McConnell’s Hereditary Rule.
Off a mark of 138, the seven-year-old is rated 19lbs superior to his nearest rival and will be a warm order to record a third victory in his fifth start over fences, having already made a successful trip to Ayr in May.
Fergal O’Brien saddles Imperial Sachin’s in the famous Imperial Racing colours as the six-year-old makes just his second start since a switch from Gordon Elliott’s yard.
Imperial Sachin’s warmed up for this test by winning at the track over hurdles 11 days ago.
Sunday racecards I Latest Sky Bet odds
Watch every race from Uttoxeter and Saratoga live on Sky Sports Racing on Sunday, July 24.
