Sky Bet Chase: Off colour Hold On Julio to bypass Doncaster

News / Timeform / 27 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Hold On Julio (green cap).

"King stated how he wasn't happy with the horse following a breeze and that, under closer inspection, the angular gelding was found to have a bit of a dirty nose."

Hold On Julio, ante-post favourite for Saturday's Sky Bet Chase, will not line up at Doncaster.

The former prolific point winner, who has quickly achieved a Timeform master rating 143p thanks to a pair of handicap victories at Sandown in November and January, was reported as being off colour by trainer Alan King and is consequently a non-runner in the Sky Bet Chase.

Hold On Julio is unbeaten in three runs over fences (he won on his chase debut at Kelso in April) and, despite a very haphazard round of jumping on his latest start, looked a horse going places, and his withdrawal will come as a blow to both the yard and jockey Sam Thomas, who was booked to ride the horse for the first time.

King stated how he wasn't happy with the horse following a breeze and that, under closer inspection, the angular gelding was found to have a bit of a dirty nose.

The Barbury Castle handler was unsure of where Hold On Julio would go next and it remains to be seen whether he'll run before Cheltenham, for which he's currently [8.0] favourite for the Festival Handicap Chase, a race the yard won last year with Bensalem.

To find out which double figure-priced horse Timeform fancy for the Sky Bet Chase click HERE.
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Timeform's Horses to Follow Extra Festival Trials edition is out now and features no less than five big-race previews and an interview with Nigel Twiston-Davies.