The Peter Marsh Chase is a Grade Two race run over 3m that is staged at Haydock Park racecourse.
First run in 1981 the contest is sometimes billed as another Grand National trial, but we’ve yet to see a winner of this race land the Aintree marathon in the same season, although the 1995 winner, Earth Summit, did go onto win the Grand National 3 years later.
12 months ago we saw the Venetia Williams-trained Royal Pagaille romp home to victory.
Here at TQ we take a look back at recent winners and gives you the main stats to look out for ahead of the 2022 renewal – this year run on Saturday January 22nd.
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Recent Peter Marsh Chase Winners
2021 - ROYAL PAGAILLE (11/5 fav)
2020 – VINTAGE CLOUDS (7/1)
2019 - WAKANDA (6/1)
2018 – THE DUTCHMAN (13/2)
2017 – BRISTOL DE MAI (4/1 jfav)
2016 – CLOUDY TOO (6/1)
2015 – SAMSTOWN (16/1)
2014 – WYCHWOODS BROOK (16/1)
2013 – No race
2012 – ACCORDING TO PETE (9/1)
2011 – No race
2010 – OUR VIC (20/1)
2009 – CLOUDY LANE (6/1)
2008 – No race
2007 – THE OUTLIER (8/1)
2006 – EBONY LIGHT (33/1)
2005 – LORD TRANSCEND (9/4 fav)
2004 – ARTIC JACK (6/1)
2003 – TRUCKERS TAVERN (9/2)
2002 – RED STRIKER (8/1)
2001 – No race
2000 – THE LAST FLING (11/2)
Key Peter Marsh Chase Betting Trends
18/18 – Won on ground described as soft or worse previously
17/18 – Ran within the last 6 weeks
16/18 – Carried 11-3 or less in weight
16/18 – Had run within the last 36 days
16/18 – Aged 8 or older
13/18 – Officially Rated 139 or higher
13/18 – Won at Haydock previously
12/18 – Won at least 3 times over fences previously
12/18 – Carried 10-12 or less in weight
12/18 – Favourites unplaced
11/18 – Won before (fences) over at least 3m
10/18 – Irish bred
10/18 – Finished in the top 3 in their last race
10/18 – Won over fences at Haydock before
9/18 – Won between 3-5 times over fences before
9/18 – Aged either 8 or 9 years-old
9/18 – From outside the top 3 in the betting
7/18 – Went onto finish unplaced in that season’s Grand National
7/18 – Ran at Wetherby last time out
7/18 – Went onto run at that season’s Cheltenham Festival (no winners)
6/18 – Raced in the Rowland Meyrick (Wetherby) last time out
5/18 – Trained by Sue Smith (3 of the last 6)
4/18 – Ridden by Danny Cook
3/18 – Won their last race
3/18 – Winning favourites
2/18 - Trained By Venetia Williams (3 wins in total)
2/18 – Trained by the McCain stable
The average winning SP in the last 18 runnings is 9/1
TQ VERDICT: Last year we saw a romp in this race when the Venetia Williams-trained ROYAL PAGAILLE bolted up by 16 lengths. He’s rated 7lbs higher this time but has since run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and was a fair runner-up, albeit beaten 22 lengths, here in the Betfair Chase. He won this race carrying 11-10 last season and has that same weight again, while his record here at Haydock reads 1-1-2. He’ll get his preferred softer ground here too and will be looking to become the first back-to-back winner of this race since General Wolfe (1998-99). With Royal Pagaille the class act in the race then this will, however, help the others in terms of the low weights they carry. Empire Steel, Lord Du Mesnil and recent winner Kalooki could all be dangerous off low burdens. Course winner - Sam Brown - is another to note, but he’s got a bit to prove over these longer trips for me. Fortescue was 7th in the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase in November and has since run well to be second at Kempton, but it’s the horse that fell when going well in that Ladbrokes Trophy Chase at Newbury - REMASTERED - that can give last year’s winner most to think about. This Pipe-trained runner has just 10-7 to carry, which is a lot less than the 11-13 he had to carry to be 2nd in the Tommy Whittle Chase here last time - with that in mind, you feel a repeat of that last run would give him a big chance. The Pipe team won this in 2010 with Our Vic.
