Timeform mark your card with a ratings choice, a big improver and a Flag to note on Saturday.
The Ratings Choice
Apple Away - 13:50 Ascot
Apple Away progressed to such an extent in novice hurdles last season that she ended up signing off with a win in the Grade 1 Sefton at Aintree's Grand National meeting.
Apple Away needed the experience on her chasing debut at Haydock, where a trip shy of two and three-quarter miles was on the sharp side anyway, but she showed much-improved form when a wide-margin winner of a beginners' chase at Leicester, slamming a Grade 2-winning hurdler who has since won a novice handicap chase.
She wasn't at that level when a distant runner-up behind Grey Dawning in a Grade 2 at Warwick last month, but she shaped better than the distance beaten might suggest after helping to force a strong gallop. She remains with potential as a chaser and, as the only mare in the line-up, receives a handy 7 lb which is enough to place her 5 lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.
The Big Improver
Victtorino - 15:00 Ascot
Victtorino made no impact at Cheltenham on Trials Day but he was unsuited by the drop in trip there and is better judged on the excellent impression he created when landing back-to-back handicaps over this course and distance on his first two starts over fences after joining Venetia Williams.
Victtorino won a couple of chases in France but stepped up on that form when landing the Sodexo Live! Gold Cup on his reappearance here in November and progressed again to land the Silver Cup the following month.
Those efforts marked him out as a young chaser going in the right direction and, despite last month's blip, he remains a potentially high-class sort.
The Timeform Flag
Loup de Maulde - 16:10 Ascot
Flags: Horse In Focus, Horses For Courses
Loup de Maulde enjoyed a productive campaign last season after joining Robbie Llewellyn, winning on four occasions and finishing placed another three times (one of his placed efforts was over this course and distance).
A notable trait Loup de Maulde displayed was a smooth-travelling style and he again impressed with how fluently he moved through the race when runner-up on his return at Huntingdon last month.
Loup de Maulde is entitled to strip fitter with that outing under his belt and the cheekpieces he wore last season - but were left off on his return - are reapplied here.
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