It's the biggest meeting of the jumps season so far at Ascot on Friday and Saturday and there are a stack of interesting contests, with Saturday’s feature 1965 Chase ranking highest of all.
Shishkin is set to face off with Pic D’Orhy in a Nicky Henderson versus Paul Nicholls early-season cracker, and the two Grade 1 winners are difficult to split.
Clive Gildon provides analysis and selections for four of the supporting races at the two-day Ascot meeting.
Friday
1.45 - Garden For All Seasons Handicap Hurdle (1m7½f)
I was quite sweet on GIN COCO for the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham last Sunday before the soft ground ruled him out, and I can’t desert him five days later for this vastly weaker contest.
Gin Coco looked a Greatwood plot job after taking a blow in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las in October to warm up for that, having run a screamer in the previous running of that Cheltenham contest off 2lb lower.
He pulled 13-lengths clear of the third that day and only gave best to subsequent runaway Grade 2 winner I Like To Move It. Harry Fry's hurdler should be ready to run his heart out now switched to Ascot on conditions he will relish.
A first-time tongue-tie is a slight concern for Gin Coco, but I'd be surprised if he didn't have a fair bit in hand off a mark of 133.
The biggest danger could be Ballygeary for the Donald McCain yard. The lightly-raced six-year-old caught the eye when a staying-on third to Our Champ in a competitive event at Cheltenham’s Showcase meeting last month and runs off the same mark.
Saturday
2.05 - Coral Hurdle (Grade 2, 2m3½f)
Goshen is the early favourite for this contest but is never one to trust at a short price.
There is little doubt Goshen is a supremely talented hurdler on his day, but he has been a beaten favourite on six occasions since he fell at the last when set to land the 2021 Triumph Hurdle, and I didn't think he showed much spark on his return when well fancied for the Cesarewitch.
The ground at Ascot is set to be quicker than this quirky sort ideally wants it, he carries a 6lb penalty for landing a weaker running of this last year, and his regular rider Jamie Moore is on the sidelines. Everything points to a blowout and I fancy STRONG LEADER to capitalise for Olly Murphy.
In truth, Strong Leader didn't show a lot on his return in the Welsh Champion Hurdle as he was last of ten there when sent off the 3/1 joint favourite, but is entitled to have come on for it and a bare 2m looks way too sharp for him nowadays.
Watch back Strong Leader's staying-on second to Inthepocket in the Grade 1 Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree back in the spring. He was flat out to keep tabs on the peloton and, having been eight-lengths down jumping the last, managed to close the gap behind the top-class winner to less than two.
He gets an extra three-and-a-half-furlongs here and that will definitely suit, while he is 3-4 on good ground, so won't mind the going.
Plenty of Nicky Henderson-trained horses have been running well first time out this term and smart mare Theatre Glory can give Strong Leader the most to think about.
2.40 - Restorations UK Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (2m7½f)
Nicky Richards doesn't send many runners down to Ascot as he is just 0-2 there in the last five years, and as a consequence I'm interested in MISS MILANO, who makes the long journey south.
In reality she would be intriguing regardless as she shaped better than the result when fourth at Wetherby last time, getting the second-last all wrong and doing well to finish as close as she did to the first three.
The second came out next time and scored at odds of 14/1, so the form of that is looking reasonable. Miss Milano is at her best on a quick surface and might have another success in her off this mark, with talented apprentice Conor Rabbitt down for the one ride and taking 5lb off.
I'm most concerned about the Fergal O’Brien-trained Lassue, who was the outsider of six when victorious on her return from 629 days off at Chepstow last month. She landed that snugly and is bang in the mix off 4lb higher.
2.55 - Jim Barry Hurst Park Handicap Chase (2m1f)
Of all the handicaps at Ascot, I'm most interested in this one. Heading the early betting is last year's winner Boothill, who landed a similar event over course and distance last month on soft ground in excellent style.
He is entered in the Tingle Creek at Sandown next month and continues to improve rapidly, but will be worse off in the weights with the three who re-oppose and he is 15lb higher than for his triumph in this last term.
Saint Segal was a bit of an eyecatcher against Boothill recently, rallying back into third place after being swallowed up from making most of the running while racing keenly.
However, I'm not convinced this quicker ground will play to his strengths in the same manner as FRERE D’ARMES, who is the pick for Dan Skelton.
The stable's horses have been badly needing their returns this campaign and this six-year-old travelled excellently into that race before blowing up, trading at an in-running low of 3.4.
Soft ground probably isn’t what he needs, with his best effort coming on a quick surface at Newbury last November. A 2lb drop from his previous run, combined with Tristan Durrell's 5lb claim, can ensure this strong traveller goes close off bottom weight here.
We can be sure he is going to build on his reappearance effort and it is easy to imagine Durrell producing him fast and late, with free-going front-runner Saint Segal potentially getting pestered for the lead by Corrigeen Rock.
