'He stays and has a nice weight - he must have a great chance' - who expects to dominate a tricky Rowland Meyrick chase?

There are too many choices for good staying chasers at this time of year. Between the Coral Gold Cup and Welsh National we have the Becher, London National, Welsh National Trial, Cheltenham’s premier handicap on December Gold Cup day, the Tommy Whittle, Silver Cup and the Rowland Meyrick.

We lack the pool of horses to sustain competitiveness in all those races and the addition of a similar £30,000 event at Aintree on Boxing Day is clearly a blow to the Rowland Meyrick. Still, Wetherby's festive highlight does not lack for intrigue as each of the six runners can be given a chance.

The group includes the returning Into Overdrive, one of the stories of 2022 in the staying chase realm. He began his winning spree off a mark of 112 at Carlisle in the March of that year and rounded off a belting nine months by capturing this race off 30lb higher.

Empire Steel missed his big day in the cancelled Rehearsal Chase this month. To an extent, he still has a bit to prove as a thorough stayer when the ground is testing, as does Fergal O’Brien’s interesting contender Karl Philippe.

The form of Karl Philippe’s third at Newbury this month has received two boosts. Winner Kandoo Kid has since performed well in Grade 2 company and runner-up Frero Banbou fared best of the rest in the December Gold Cup behind Fugitif and Il Ridoto. A 2lb drop makes him dangerous. The worry is whether the Rowland Meyrick is the correct race for him to exploit that. 

The presence of Does He Know means Houston Texas is 3lb wrong at the weights, but we can at least bank on his stamina in the same way Fontaine Collonges is proven on that score. We learned nothing about her when she unshipped Ned Fox at the first in the London National last time. She did at least arrive for a similarly skinny staying handicap with a favourite's chance.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Back Into the swing

Mark Walford is full of hope that Into Overdrive can make history despite a nine-month layoff.

Although his stable star has not raced since being pulled up in the Ultima Chase at Cheltenham in March, the trainer believes he can become the first dual winner of the Rowland Meyrick in the race’s 66-year history.

"He seems in good form,” said Walford, “Like quite a few of our horses during the autumn, he just wasn't firing. It's been frustrating, but in the last couple of weeks he's got a bit of spark about him again, and his last few bits of work and schooling have been really good.

"This is the first time he's had an entry this season but the two races he'd have gone for were both off anyway, Wetherby was waterlogged, then the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle was off because it was frozen. So we probably haven't missed out that much really."

Reflecting on his effort at Cheltenham, Walford said: "It just didn't work out. He'd had a long season. He'd been in training a long time and it was probably the effect of a couple of hard races.

"We'd expect a good run. He's climbed up the weights but he's done that for good reason. He's not thrown in but he's on a mark I think he can be very competitive off.”

What they say

Kim Bailey, trainer of Does He Know
He's in a really good place, he looks fantastically well. He'll run a big race but he'll improve for the run. It was either go here or to Warwick in two weeks' time, and I felt three miles five furlongs was too far for him first time out.

Sandy Thomson, trainer of Empire Steel
I'm very happy with him and I was delighted with his run at Kelso. He must have a great chance. He stays and he's got a very nice weight. 

Fergal O’Brien, trainer of Karl Philippe
He ran very well at Newbury last time, plugging on to be third even though the trip was a bit short for him.

Fergal O'Brien: runs Karl Philippe in the Rowland MeyrickCredit: Steve Davies

Venetia Williams, trainer of Fontaine Collonges
She had a brain freeze at Sandown and has always been a slightly spooky mare, but she's done plenty of schooling since and if she can put that behind her I hope she'll run a good race.

Nicky Richards, trainer of Houston Texas
He's there with a nice chance. The Becher Chase was the plan but we were too far out of the handicap and this has always been in the back of our minds. It's a grand race, there are only six in it but it will still take some winning.
Reporting by David Carr

Read our Boxing Day previews:

12.45 Kempton: 'You wouldn't see a novice jump better' - who expects a big effort from his runner in this competitive handicap chase?  

1.05 Aintree: 'We've had our eye on this since the Royal Bond' - Gordon Elliott takes aim at the British novices with Grade 1 star Farren Glory  

1.10 Leopardstown: 'You'd have to love the way he hit the line ' - Mighty Bandit steps up to Graded company after impressive Punchestown debut  

1.20 Kempton: 'He’s always looked phenomenal' - quotes and analysis on a fascinating Kauto Star Novices' Chase  

1.33 Limerick: Loughglynn bids to emulate the likes of Faugheen and Penhill by landing Grade 2 honours  

1.55 Kempton: Unbeaten superstar Constitution Hill attempts to serve up another Boxing Day treat for racing fans in the Christmas Hurdle  

2.20 Leopardstown: Arkle favourite fancied to make it a perfect ten for Willie Mullins in final ever Racing Post Novice Chase  

2.30 Kempton: 'He's as good a chance I'll get of winning a King George' - key quotes for Kempton's Boxing Day feature

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