Ascot Saturday review and free video replays

Chances too strong for Kargese

Owner Garry Wilson can now start to dream of chasing Cheltenham Festival glory with Take No Chances, who claimed the notable scalp of Kargese on the way to scooping the biggest pot of her career in the BetMGM Mares’ Hurdle.

The Dan Skelton-trained winner secured a breakthrough Grade Two success when demonstrating the best of her battling abilities on what was her seventh start of the campaign to spring a surprise in the extended one mile seven furlong prize.

After finishing third carrying top weight in an extended two and a half mile handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on her last start the daughter of Milan was sent off a 13/2 chance to go two places better on her return to graded race company.

Rounding the home turn it looked as though 2/5 favourite Kargese had matters under control when appearing to still be full of running in the hands of Paul Townend.

However, when push came to shove it was Take No Chances that stuck to the task best of them all when sweeping past both Ooh Betty and Kargese, before holding off the latter by three-quarters-of-a -length.

Wilson said: “It is a bit of a dream. It would have been a great day if we could do it and we have managed to do it. She is such a little terrier that always gives us 100 per cent. She went to Wetherby and won over this sort of trip at the start of the season. I wasn’t sure about the ground when I saw the first race as it looked a bit tacky, but I’m delighted.

“We were a bit unlucky with Honky Tonk Highway at Windsor on Friday so it was nice to win this race with Take No Chances today.”

Equally as impressed by the display was winning rider Kielan Woods, who described Take No Chances as ‘very tough’.

He said said: “I thought I might have been in trouble going to two out and it looked like Willie’s horse had me covered, but I got over two out and this filly really dug deep and stuck her head down. She is very tough.

“We had race fitness on her side today and it is just nice to win today. She has done nothing wrong at all and her only start outside the first four this season was behind Sir Gino in the Fighting Fifth. She is a very solid filly that runs her race every time.”

Following the race Take No Chances was trimmed from 25/1 into 12s for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival by Paddy Power, which could now come into consideration according to Wilson.

He added: “She has got an entry in the David Nicholson at Cheltenham even before today. I will leave it up to Dan and he has guided us all the way.”

As for Kargese, who was making her first start since securing Grade One honours at Punchestown in May, her rider Paul Townend expected a big step forward on her next start.

Townend said: “She was keen. She had a blow and ran on again so she will improve for it.”

Fry strikes with Altobelli

Altobelli continued what has been a tremendous 48 hours for trainer Harry Fry and his team when securing his first win in almost two years in the BetMGM Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle.

After watching stable star Gidleigh Park collect Grade Two honours at Windsor on Friday the Corscombe handler toasted another success on the big stage thanks to the Maxios gelding.

Limited to just eight career starts to date the lightly raced seven year old had made a pleasing re-appearance when filling the runner’s-up spot at Doncaster 35 days ago.

Stepped back up in trip to an extended two miles three on his return to Ascot the Charlie Walker and Jonny Craib-owned gelding appeared to relish going the extra distance in first time cheekpieces.

Having moved well throughout the race in the hands of Bryan Carver the 3/1 chance quickened on with eventual runner-up Aston Martini at the last before surging clear in the final 100 yards to score by a length and three quarters.

Fry said: “We have always thought he is a lovely horse. He ran two lovely races here last season over two miles. I wanted to start him back up in trip this season, but circumstances with the weather dictated where we went.

“At Doncaster he finished strongly and afterwards this looked a lovely race to go for up in trip at a track he had run well at in the past.

“Today he was in the first time cheekpieces and he has jumped, and travelled, the best he has. It was great to see him hit the line hard and hopefully there will be more to come from him.

“The cheekpieces won’t be coming off in a hurry. It is great to come to Ascot to have a winner.

"There are some lovely big handicaps in the spring to look at and that has given us some lovely options to think about.

“I don’t think we would be coming back in trip. There is a very similar race over course and distance in a month’s time then you have the spring festivals.

“We will go home and enjoy this and then see what we do next.”

Wadham close to tears

Lucy Wadham was almost reduced to tears after Terresita bounced back from a broken jaw to land a knockout blow in the bet365 Handicap Chase.

The diminutive mare showed plenty of courage to secure a second win of the campaign when going two places better than her last visit to the track in the £100,000 contest.

Having secured Listed honours on her return to action at Carlisle the daughter of Westerner was sent off with a 15/2 chance to return to winning ways in the two miles five furlong event.

And the eight-year old did not let her supporters down when coming with a well timed ride under Gavin Sheehan to hit the jackpot. For a fleeting moment it looked as though the talented, but frustrating, Hitman was set to enjoy a rare moment in the stage after hitting the front approaching the last.

But the Paul Nicholls-trained nine year old had to settle for second best once again as Terresita winged the last and flew on by before scampering away up the run in to score by four-and-a-quarter lengths.

The winning trainer said: “That was fantastic as she actually broke her jaw at home the day after she last ran her at Ascot. That had to be wired up and the vets did a great job.

“She has been ridden in a Hackamore, which is a bit less bridle, for the last six weeks. The staff have done a fantastic job.

“She must have got it caught on some bars. It was very windy and there were some leaves flying about outside, but we don’t really know. The vets said they are always wiring up horses' jaws, but that is the first time I’ve had it.

“She is not very big and we were thrilled to get into the race off 10st 6lbs as she had 11st 5lbs last time. Every pound on her back makes a big difference.

“I think Gavin held on to her a bit more today. Last time he was trying to make his ground when they were all running well. The horses started to come back today and once she passed one horse she locked on and off she went."

And after the race Wadham hinted that she might take aim at the Grade Two Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival which the race sponsor introduced her at 25/1 for.

Wadham said: “We always thought she was very right handed, but we might have to look at the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham now as we are going to get a bit of a hike. Hopefully, she will make a lovely broodmare one day.”

Winning rider to celebrate with big meal

David Maxwell vowed to get stuck into plenty of food later this evening after steering In D’Or to a second victory over fences in the BetMGM Handicap Chase.

Having lost his claim aboard the seven year old at Taunton 51 days ago the 46 year old amateur rider was all smiles after getting down to 10st 13lbs to partner the progressive gelding to win number two of the campaign.

Playing a patient game, Maxwell delivered the Venetia Williams-trained 2-1 chance with a well timed challenge to move on past long time leader, and favourite, Rockinastorm, between the final two fences.

Although reaching for the last Maxwell stayed in tact with his mount before pushing him clear to score by four lengths.

He said: “I never thought he would jump a chase fence but he has got plenty of scope and Venetia’s horses are often better jumping a fence than a hurdle. It was easy enough with only five runners in there to sit in behind the pace. That was basically the race plan to sit in behind the leaders as I thought they would make it a decent clip.

“He would rather lead, as he doesn’t like getting the dirt in his face, but he was fine and he settled in nicely in behind and they set a good pace out so it was kind of perfect. There was a bit of a gap coming down the straight and I felt like William Buick going through the middle.

“What about the last? I was going woah boy, we are just going to pop this, but he was like no xxxx it up we go. Over Christmas I put on a bit of weight and I’ve been doing 11 stone something then Venetia rang and was like can you do 10st 13lbs at Ascot so I’m hungry.

“I was sitting next to Ben Jones in the weighing room and he was doing 10st 1lbs and I said do you do that easy and he was like yeah, yeah and he said he had a Chinese last night. I’m going to eat everything tonight. I’m going to go through the menu.”

Although future plans remain up in the air Maxwell believes In D’Or can develop into a useful type given time.

Maxwell said: “He is a lovely young staying chaser and he could make into something quite nice over time. Venetia is very good at this in taking time with them. He will go up into the 130s after today. The world gets a bit harder each time and you have just got to let them strengthen up and grow into a bit.

“He is a nice young prospect, but the main thing for me is that he is a really lovely ride. He is totally straightforward and he jumps well which is perfect for me when you are 46.”

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