The Grade Two contest has been won by some top horses in recent years including Medermit, Puffin Billy, Irving, L’Ami Serge, Yanworth and Capitaine and 13 possibles have been entered at the five-day stage this year.
They include Slate House, 2/1 favourite at Sky Bet, a horse that maintained his unbeaten record under Rules with a narrow verdict over Summerville Boy in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on November 19.
Nicky Henderson has won this race twice in the last six years and he has two options this time around; Claimantakinforgan (3/1), who won at Newbury on November 9, and Diese Des Bieffes (7/1), a Martaline gelding that was last seen winning impressively at Taunton on November 30.
Harry Fry has an impressive career strike-rate of 27 per cent at Ascot and he has two unbeaten hurdlers that could take their chance in the shape of If The Caps Fits (7/2) and Mr One More (7/1).
Theclockisticking (9/1), Destrier (10/1), Dr Des (12/1), Tikkanbar (14/1), Coeur Blimey (16/1), Irish Prophecy (20/1), Clondaw Castle (33/1) and Mahari (33/1) complete the entries.
Sky Bet spokesman Michael Shinners said: “The Sky Bet Supreme Trial at Ascot has thrown up some real Cheltenham contenders in recent years and we hope it can do so again.
“L’Ami Serge won here and was sent off 7/2 for the Sky Bet Supreme before finishing fourth, while Yanworth took this en route to being sent off 11/10 for the-then Neptune before finishing runner-up to Yorkhill.
“It would be great if the race could unearth another bona fide Festival hopeful this year and looking at the five-day entries you’d have to be hopeful that will be the case.
“Both Nicky Henderson and Harry Fry look well represented and it’s great to see Colin Tizzard potentially aiming Slate House at the race after they landed the first trial in the Sky Bet Supreme ‘Road To Cheltenham’ series last time.”
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