Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
Three points of interest
Ascot juvenile a race worth noting
The BetMGM Juvenile Hurdle (12:25) at Ascot had a habit at throwing up some nice types, its roll of honour including Grade 1 winners Grandouet, Balder Success, Top Notch and most recently the most exciting Lulamba 12 months ago.
We will have to wait and see if there are any horses of that calibre in this year’s renewal, but of those with previous experience, Winston Junior sets the bar pretty high from a form perspective - he's at least 9lb clear of his rivals with form.
He is a maiden both over hurdles and on the Flat, but he had some useful form in that sphere, notably when runner-up to the now smart Light As Air in a maiden at the Curragh, and when also filling the same position behind subsequent Cesarewitch winner Beylerbeyi.
Winston Junior started favourite for his hurdling and stable debut at Fontwell in October and did absolutely nothing wrong, shaping with plenty of promise behind one who was in form and had the benefit of experience.
He stepped up on that effort in a better race at Cheltenham last time, too, failing to settle somewhat early and not getting the smoothest passage through in the straight, having to switch and staying on for second on the run-in.
Winston Junior finished with running left at the line on that occasion and, with further improvement to come, he looks the one to beat with Harry Cobden once again in the saddle – he has a 43% strike rate for the yard.
Skelton can repeat last year’s win in Warfield Mares’ Hurdle
There are only five runners in this year’s edition of the BetMGM Warfield Mares’ Hurdle (13:40) at Ascot, but it looks a decent renewal where you can make a case for most of them.
La Conquiere has been strong in the betting on Friday afternoon, but Dan Skelton had a few entries earlier in the week, so it is interesting he relies solely on Nurse Susan to repeat the yard's success in this race last season.
Nurse Susan hasn’t many miles on the clock for a nine-year-old and she arrives in top form having won her last two starts in good style having very much caught the eye on her return in November.
The latest of those wins came in a listed event over two and a half miles at Sandown earlier this month, confirming herself a mare very much on the up as she beat one who had finished behind her at Cheltenham convincingly again despite 12lb worse off at the weights.
This will be her first start at two miles since 2022, which is a slight concern, but she’s clearly thriving, and standard-setter Joyeuse arrives with something to prove.
Killycarn will relish longer trip
The Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap Hurdle (15:10) at Haydock looks an extremely competitive race for the grade, but the pick of a clutch of progressive and unexposed types is the Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith-trained Killycarn.
He finished runner-up on his sole start in points and showed he possesses clear ability on his second start under Rules. Killycarn wasn’t given a hard time on his qualifying run at Wetherby last month, but he proved he’s been let into handicaps off a lenient mark when opening his account at Catterick on New Year’s Day.
That was just an ordinary handicap, but he showed much improved form to win, making smooth headway when left in front jumping the third-last, and found plenty on the run-in after being tackled for the lead at the last.
Killycarn asserted in the final 100 yards, shaping like a horse who will have even more to offer once facing a bigger test of stamina. He gets that now moving up five furlongs in trip and he can prove a 6lb rise a lenient one.
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