The four-runner Grade 1 Ascot Chase takes centre stage on Saturday and winning connections will take home a cool £100,000.
Featuring among the race’s illustrious recent roll of honour are top-class chasers Cue Card and Cyrname, while Shishkin produced a sensational performance in the previous running.
Clive Gildon provides his analysis on the big race as well as some other selections at the Berkshire track, where they race from 1.15-4.45, with the Ascot Chase itself due off at 3.36.
WATCH IN THE ZONE WITH MIKE TINDALL
3.36 – Ascot Chase (Grade 1, 2m5f)
The Ascot Chase has an interesting feel to it this season. Of the four runners, Pic D’Orhy is the only one who can be confidently pinned as a two-and-a-half-mile specialist, but he was well beaten in this last year and faces two intriguing trip-dropping opponents.
The market favours L’HOMME PRESSE and it is difficult to argue with that notion. L’Homme Presse’s Rehearsal Chase success off a handicap mark of 164 three starts back is probably the best performance by a British staying chaser in the past 18 months.
His latest cosy success over the in-form Protektorat in the Fleur De Lys Chase following 13 months off the track proved he retains a good portion if not all of that ability, and the expectation is trainer Venetia Williams left a bit to work on with a spring campaign in mind.
This is the next step up the ladder for L’Homme Presse, but he doesn’t lack for speed and has won over track and trip in the past.
Perhaps the biggest danger can emerge from Ahoy Senor. Lucinda Russell’s stable star was pulled up in both starts this term prior to turning up in the Cotswold Chase, but shaped with much more promise there, his fourth-placed finish under a penalty worth marking up as the rider’s stirrup leather snapped jumping the fourth-last fence.
The drop in distance is well worth exploring and he can serve it up to L’Homme Presse if able to cope with going right-handed.
The 142-rated Sail Away is essentially making up the numbers and will pick up an easy £9,000 for finishing fourth.
1.50 - Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase (Grade 2, 3m)
The Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase presents a fine opportunity for KILBEG KING to notch a first success over fences for Anthony Honeyball.
A smart staying hurdler who scored at the Punchestown Festival last spring, Kilbeg King didn’t show much in his first two chases, but they were over much shorter trips, and crucially he produced a big career best when granted a strong test of stamina in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase when last seen on Boxing Day.
The time of that race was superb. Even in finishing third Kilbeg King ran a quicker time than Hewick did in winning the King George later on the card. An RPR of 152 sets the standard here and he deserves more respect in the betting for the shrewd Honeyball.
Apple Away also has a big shot as there probably isn’t a calibre of opponent lurking with the same class as Grey Dawning, who is well fancied for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase next month after pummeling Lucinda Russell’s mare twice this term. She is dangerous getting the 7lb mares’ allowance.
2.25 - Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Handicap Hurdle (2m3f)
A tricky handicap hurdle in which it could pay to side with MONVIEL for the shrewd Harry Derham.
Monviel reached a decent level for Philip Hobbs before joining Derham, finishing fifth in the Betfair Hurdle on a decent surface before handling more testing terrain to claim fifth in Sandown’s Imperial Cup.
Derham is a dab-hand with improving new recruits and Monviel made significant progression on his yard debut, giving Arkle hope JPR One a race in a Newton Abbot chase, receiving only 2lb from the now Grade 2 winner and shaping as if a longer trip would suit.
Monviel didn’t show his true colours when upped in distance for a novice handicap chase here next time, but lost a shoe and was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.
That is an obvious concern, although he is too well handicapped to ignore and Derham can be trusted to bring him back as he reverts to hurdles.
Another with a big chance is Bad, who remains capable of better after just a handful of starts for Ben Pauling. Bad was backed into 5-1 second favourite for the Boodles at Cheltenham on his first run for Pauling and, although he is yet to get off the mark for this team, there has been promise in his performances.
Second in the Gerry Feilden two starts back, Bad looked in need of a greater test of stamina last time when a keeping-on third here behind Titan Discovery, who easily won again from an 11lb higher mark at Sandown on Thursday, and the application of first-time cheekpieces and returning from a wind op could ensure Bad climbs through the ranks off his basement mark.
3.00 - Injured Jockeys Fund Ambassadors Programme Swinley Handicap Chase (3m)
The stars could be aligning for SHAN BLUE to finally regain the winning thread in the Swinley Handicap Chase.
Dan Skelton’s ten-year-old is without a victory since the Grade 1 Kauto Star in 2020 and has never looked the same horse since falling in the 2021 Charlie Hall with the race at his mercy, but hinted his turn was near behind Triple Trade and subsequent winner Harper’s Brook last time over a distance short of what he wants nowadays, for all Harper’s Brook stopping when in front potentially flattered him.
However, that served as the perfect prep run for the Swinley and the cheekpieces he took so well too on his previous start are retained. This might be the day everything clicks for Shan Blue once more off a tempting handicap mark of 143.
Victtorino, a two-time course-and-distance winner who didn’t seem to cope with a drop in trip at Cheltenham last time, heads the list of dangers for Venetia Williams. He would be a good bit shorter in the market if arriving here without that recent lapse.
