Dan Skelton is favouring an outing in the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over the Sky Bet Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon for bargain buy Thistle Ask.
The Shelfield Green handler is weighing up which of the Grade Two prizes to aim the eight-year-old at after he completed a hat-trick of wins for the season when scoring at the same level in the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter.
Although Skelton has not ruled out a trip to the Cambridgeshire circuit on December 7 for the gelded son of Ask, he feels at this stage that the £100,000 two-mile test on December 27 is likely to represent a more manageable task.
Skelton said: “We will see what the entries are like in the Peterborough Chase and see where he is at ratings-wise with them as there is also the Desert Orchid.
“It is not the route of least resistance as I’m sure it will be a good race, but it will probably be more of an ask in the Peterborough Chase.
“However, the Peterborough Chase could end up being a small field and maybe we could end up getting the lead so it is worth a look.
“I would say though we are favouring Kempton Park at this stage unless the Peterborough Chase looks like he has to be in it.”
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Since being picked up for just £11,000 back in May the Terry McKeever-owned gelding has proven a revelation having shot up from a rating over fences of 115 to 144.
However, although the Grade One-winning trainer expected him to prove better than the mark he arrived with he admits he has improved above and beyond expectations.
He said: “I knew he would win a couple of races. I thought he might win a 0-120 and a 0-125, and give someone a bit of fun, but not in a million years did I think this would happen.
“At Exeter I thought he would either win or be last. I thought he will either keep on improving, in which case he will win, or if not they will all beat him. I didn't think he would be an unlucky second or anything like that
“It was a good ride by Harry (Skelton) down at Exeter on him, but we have all got to do our jobs and thankfully it has worked out well.”
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