Charlie Longsdon eyes Sky Bet Chase prize at Doncaster

Charlie Longsdon could be double-handed in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster, for which the entries were released on Wednesday.

Longsdon's Drop Out Joe and Coologue are two of 46 entries for the listed handicap, run over three miles at Doncaster on Saturday, January 30.

Drop Out Joe was last seen winning the Badger Ales Trophy at Wincanton in November, while Coologue chased home Southfield Royale in a Grade Two novices' chase at Doncaster on December 12.

"Drop Out Joe's had a nice break since the Badger Ales Trophy and he's in good form," Longsdon said.

"I've put him in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster but if it's very soft he won't run. He is quite high in the handicap now off 150, but we know he likes the track as he ran very well in the Grimthorpe Chase last year.

"It just depends on the ground."

"Coologue is the more definite of the two as he'll like any ground.

"He's a nice improving novice and has an ideal profile for the race, he's only run three times over fences and ran well in a Grade Two at Doncaster a month ago."

Le Reve (Lucy Wadham, 20/1) also is on target for Town Moor after finishing second to Kruzhlinin in a three-mile handicap chase at Kempton Park on January 9. That marked a return to form for the eight-year-old following two disappointing efforts in Grade Three handicaps at Ascot and Cheltenham.

He ended last season in fine heart, capturing a valuable three-mile handicap at Sandown Park in January before finishing second in the BetBright Chase at Kempton Park and third in the bet365 Gold Cup back at Sandown Park.

Wadham said: "Le Reve seems absolutely fine after his run at the weekend.

"We are hoping he will be able to build on that because he had a wind operation in November and that was his first run back. I think it takes them a race or two to get their confidence back so we were really happy with him.

"We are definitely considering the Sky Bet Chase. If we had to miss it for whatever reason, there is the race he won last year at Sandown the following week but we will be looking at Doncaster very closely." 

Buywise heads the betting at 10/1 with Sky Bet, with Irish Cavalier, Le Mercurey and Ziga Boy all quoted at 12/1.

Drop Out Joe is one of the horses priced up at 14/1, along with Aachen, Fingal Bay, Ned Stark, Sego Success and Virak, while Coologue is 16/1 along with Dolatulo, Midnight Prayer, Rocky Creek, Salubrious, Southfield Theatre, Splash Of Ginge and Tenor Nivernais.

The weights for the Sky Bet Chase are revealed on Wednesday, January 20.

Michael Shinners, Racing PR Manager at Sky Bet, said: "We are absolutely thrilled with the entries for the 2016 Sky Bet Chase.

"We are proud to have supported the race since 2003 and the quality seems to go up every year.

"The entries this year include a number of Graded winners and high-grade handicappers. Everything looks set for another thrilling renewal of the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster on January 30.

"Buywise has been a beacon of consistency for Evan Williams this season and we've put him in as the 10/1 favourite, with the likes of Irish Cavalier just in behind."

Click here for the latest Sky Bet Chase prices with the sponsors.