Newbury Races – Aon Chase Attracts Top Runners Despite Low Tariff

Saturday’s Aon Chase at Newbury comes at a time when many trainers are nursing their top charges in preparation for the Cheltenham Festival in March. Despite the fixture’s awkward scheduling and low prize money tariff, several top horses will compete in the Aon Chase this weekend.

Riverside Theatre, trained by Nicky Henderson, has been made the bookmakers’ favourite to win the Aon Chase. Ranked 6lb ahead of the Paul Nicholls’ trained What A Friend, Riverside Theatre looks good for victory at 10-11. After winning the Grade One Totesport Bowl at Aintree last year What A Friend poses a considerable threat to Riverside Theatre.

Saturday’s Aon Chase will see trainers including Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson head to Newbury despite the fixture falling below the Horsemen’s Group’s tariff for Grade Two chases. Introduced by owners in a bid to ensure a minimum level of prize money for races in the UK, the tariff would require the Aon Chase to be worth £59,138, however, the fixture will go ahead at £40,000.

Speaking of Riverside Theatre and What A Friend, the Managing Director of Newbury Racecourse, Stephen Higgins, said: “The Aon is one of those races that falls at a time when the top chasers are all trying to avoid each other, so we’re delighted to have two horses of that quality potentially in the field”.

Responding to criticism of the minimum tariff, Alan Morecombe, the Chief Executive of the Horsemen’s Group, said: “Overall, we think the tariff is having a positive effect. It was never designed to give people an opportunity to boycott race meetings”.