Yorkshire Jockeys Horse Racing

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BOLDER Bob will bid to complete a three-timer when he contests the £100,000 Unibet Handicap at York on Friday.

This three-year-olds only race, staged over almost a mile and three-quarters, has doubled in prize money so, unsurprisingly, has attracted a field of promising young stayers.

The majority look to be very much on the upgrade – not least Bolder Bob, a Yorkshire-based contender trained by David Barron at Maunby House, near Thirsk.

Connections have been patient with the gelding who has rewarded them in the second half of the 2017 campaign.

He ran out a comfortable winner of a mile and a half handicap at Leicester in August – the first success of his career. The following month, off an 8lb higher official rating, he won again over the same distance – this time at Beverley – and did so in equally emphatic manner.

That triumph resulted in a 7lb rise at the weights. Now he is set to face his toughest challenge yet up against a collection of improvers, all chasing the £62,250 first prize.

David Barron said: “He’s a horse that has progressed all year. He has won twice over a mile and a half and he’s looking as though he’s crying out for a step up in trip. I would hope the race would suit him well.

“Easy ground helps him. As far as we’re concerned, we wouldn’t want the ground to dry out too much.

“He’s a back-end three-year-old that’s starting to improve. Thankfully, he has an owner that was quite happy to wait for him and be patient with him. So, it’s nice when it starts to come together.”

York’s final two-day meeting of the year, worth a record £465,000, starts on Friday at 2.10pm; for those unable to visit the Knavesmire all fourteen contests will be available to view on Racing UK.

The season on the Knavesmire concludes the following afternoon with a seven race card that includes another £100,000 handicap – the Coral Sprint Trophy.

For tickets please call 01904 620911 x 225 or visit www.yorkracecourse.co.uk