Grey hero Case Key bidding to make novelty race his own as he attempts third win

3.15 Newmarket
Betway Grey Horse Handicap| 6f, 3yo+ | ITV/RTV

To paraphrase an old classic: "The grey race comes but once a year, now it's here, now it's here. Bringing lots of joy and cheer, tra la la la la – Case Key probably wins."

So the famous song goes and how wonderfully prophetic that sounds as the Mick Appleby-trained seven-year-old has won two of the last three runnings of one of racing's great novelty contests, which in Case Key has found its unlikely hero.

He is a 72-rated gelding with 50 career starts and six wins to his name, but because of his grey privilege he rests on the verge of becoming something of a legend.

"He's won it twice, hopefully he can do it a third time," said Appleby. "He's in good order so I'm hopeful he'll run well. He goes well on the track and should have a good chance. He's 1lb lower than when he first won it and we're claiming 5lb off him this time so he shouldn't be far away."

Case Key's first win in 2017 came off 73, while last year he was rated just 66. This time Angus Villiers' 5lb claim means he effectively carries 1lb more than in 2019 and is understandably the bookies' choice. However, in 2018 he finished only 14th of 15 from a mark of 70 so is far from a certainty.

The first among equals will recognise many of his opponents from last year, with the third (My Style), fourth (Lethal Angel) and fifth (Buccaneers Vault) all back for more.

Eve Johnson Haughton, trainer of My Style, said: "He ran really well in it last year, he ran a great race at Bath the other day and I'm really hopeful he'll run a nice race."

Paul Midgley, who saddles the eight-year-old Buccaneers Vault, perhaps summed this contest up best, saying: "He's been going there for what feels like the last ten years, he's something of a regular. It's a great spectacle, a good race to watch and a good race to be involved in.

"He's been in good form, I'm sure he'll run well. He's always better when they go a little too hard and he can come off a strong pace, but fingers crossed with a bit of luck he shouldn't be too far away."

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