Timeform provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Skelton has excellent strike rate at Uttoxeter this season
Dan Skelton has already saddled 64 wins this season at the time of writing, but 12 of those have come at Uttoxeter, the most of any course so far at a 41% strike rate.
He sends a strong team on Sunday, too, but the pick of the lot could be Sunray Shadow in the Sheila And Wayne Golden Wedding Anniversary Handicap Chase (15:42), who has been in excellent form over both hurdles and fences this summer, winning four of his last five starts.
He proved better than ever back over the larger obstacles over this course and distance 11 days ago, arguably going for home sooner than ideal, sent to the front four from home given he just dossed when in front.
It may have also contributed to some sloppy leaps, too, given he was fluent prior to that, and he’s just the type who will stay ahead of the handicapper for a while yet, a subsequent 4lb rise looking perfectly fair and he looks one to follow.
Holloway Boy the one to beat down in grade
Holloway Boy doesn’t win very often, but he’s a consistently smart six-year-old who arguably proved better than ever when runner-up to very smart stablemate Zeus Olympios in the Group 2 Summer Mile at Ascot last time, and he stands out on that form in the William Hill Pomfret Stakes (16:00).
He has a very good record on the straight course there – he won the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on his debut – and transferred that form to the round course, making his effort two furlongs out and running on well to the line.
Holloway Boy isn’t the easiest horse to place, but this looks an excellent opportunity for him in what doesn’t look the deepest listed event, and the stiff finish at Pontefract should suit him well.
Country Park capable of better as a chaser
Country Park was often clumsy over hurdles, but his jumping has been much more polished since switching to fences, and there is even more improvement to come – he’s the only horse in the field with the Timeform small p in the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship Handicap Chase (16:42).
He fared best of those held up on his debut in this sphere and built on that promise when opening his account in this sphere at Bangor last month.
There’s a chance he may have inherited the race following a mistake from the runner-up at the last, but he responded well to pressure having been ridden more prominently, and he’s by far the most interesting runner in this field representing a yard who continue to go well.
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