Views from connections ahead of Saturday's action from Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton

3.36 Ascot - Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1)

Connections of L’Homme Presse are putting thoughts of the Cheltenham Gold Cup to one side as he heads to the Betfair Ascot Chase for a race that has been likened to the FA Cup Final.

Venetia Williams’ nine-year-old has already tasted success at the Cheltenham Festival as a novice, but he missed out on a shot at the blue riband in 2023 as an injury following his run in the King George VI Chase curtailed his season.

After a long and arduous 391-day absence L’Homme Presse returned in style to claim the Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield last month and having suffered the heartbreak of missing out on Grade One opportunities during his time on the sidelines, connections are excited to head to Ascot on Saturday for a race won by some of the sport’s greats over the years.

“We’re very calm and relaxed and looking forward to it,” said Andy Edwards, who co-owns L’Homme Presse with Peter and Patricia Pink.

“The horse is well and it’s exciting to be in a Grade One chase at Ascot.”

He went on: “When I was young and thought about owning a racehorse, days like Saturday are what dreams are made of. Footballers want to play in the FA Cup Final at Wembley and for me to be in a Grade One chase at Ascot is a privilege. Although everyone wants to talk about the Gold Cup, this is its own race in its own right and deserves proper merit.

“Cheltenham is obviously his end goal, but it is not the be all and end all. It may be the Olympics of our sport and where we want to get to, but there are lots of fantastic opportunities on the way and as we found out last year, you have to take your opportunities, because your dreams could be cut short very quickly – you can’t put your eggs in one basket.”

A select field of four will head to post, and Edwards has enormous respect for both Pic D’Orhy and Ahoy Senor, believing spectators at the Berkshire track could be in for a thrilling contest – similar to when L’Homme Presse went toe-to-toe with Protektorat in his Lingfield comeback.

“It might be a small field, but there are some very good horses in there – they have speed and like to run from the front” he continued.

“When we beat Pic D’Orhy in the Scilly Isles, that horse wasn’t himself and didn’t suit the heavy ground and track maybe. Ascot will suit him much better and he’s already won there earlier on this season. Ahoy Senor is a Grade One winner who beat us at Aintree and he came second to us in the Brown Advisory. He clearly goes better after Christmas and it is his time of year to start coming to himself.

“I think it will end up a proper race, just like Lingfield. There might only have been two horses in contention from eight fences out, but the race between L’Homme Presse and Protektorat was full on – it wasn’t an easy sprint finish like Galopin Des Champs had at Leopardstown recently. I’m sure Saturday will be the same.”

One who knows his way round every inch of Ascot is Pic D’Orhy, who had the misfortune of bumping into an on-song Shishkin in this race 12 months ago, but took advantage of that rival’s refusal to start when picking up Grade Two honours at the track in the autumn.

A top-table winner at Aintree last spring, a return to Merseyside is on the cards after this assignment, with champion trainer Paul Nicholls confident his consistent nine-year-old can take a hand in the finish here.

He said: “Consistency is his big thing and he runs in some good races, he won his Grade One at Aintree last year, and I’m sure he will run another solid race again on Saturday. He’s just a high-class horse who always runs to a high level. He’s not slow and he’s never been further than two and a half or two-mile-five – it suits him very well. Ultimately L’Homme Presse is en route to the Gold Cup and stays very nicely and Ascot is a stiff two-mile-five and the ground is not going to be quick at the moment, so I imagine stamina will come into it a little bit. But this is the ideal trip for us.

“Shishkin beat him in the race last year and funnily, even though he has won at Ascot a few times, he seems happier on a flatter track – he seems to keep his best form for a flatter track. But he’s good at Ascot and touch wood he jumps nicely and hopefully he has a nice chance.

“He will probably go to Aintree after this. I wouldn’t have thought he would go to Cheltenham and we’re quite keen to do what we did last year. If he has a hard race, which undoubtedly it will be a tough race, then it’s soon enough to Cheltenham and he will better off going to Aintree.”

Lucinda Russell drops Ahoy Senor back in distance as connections contemplate a tilt at the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Little has gone right for the dual Grade One winner this term, but Peter Scudamore, Russell’s partner and assistant, feels he is beginning to show his best at home on the gallops.

He said: “We feel we have probably got it wrong and things haven’t come quite right this season, his form figures will tell you that. I thought he ran well last time at Cheltenham and feels right now. It’s obviously a very competitive race and if he can run a big race we can see where we go at Cheltenham with him.

“I’m very happy with him like I was last time when he went to Cheltenham and hopefully this will just put him spot on for Cheltenham this time.”

Dan Skelton’s Sail Away completes the line-up.

1.50 Ascot - Sodexo Live! Reynoldstown Novices' Chase (Grade 2)

Lucinda Russell’s Apple Away looks to take the next step in her promising chasing career when she lines up in the Sodexo Live! Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

The Grade One-winning novice hurdler is in her first season over fences and has made a pleasing start so far, finishing third on debut in a competitive graduation chase and then winning by a huge margin next time out at Leicester.

She gained more experience in the Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick last month, finishing second to the highly-regarded Grey Dawning – the same horse that won her first race over fences and the highest-rated novice chaser in training in Britain.

“It’s a good opportunity for her and Grey Dawning looks a very good horse, but she is probably better than she showed at Warwick,” said Peter Scudamore, partner and assistant to Russell.

“I don’t know if I had her quite right at Warwick but I’m hoping for a big run this time. It’s a competitive race and we don’t underestimate the opposition, but God willing, she is jumping OK and she’s running to the same standard as she did over hurdles. We realise we’re in at the deep end with her, but we know we’re fortunate to have a mare as good as her, so we’re hoping for a big run.”

Apple Away is ultimately Cheltenham-bound, with connections likely to come away from this weekend with more of an idea of which direction to go in at the meeting.

Scudamore added: “We have Giovinco as well, who won on Thursday, and Apple Away and one will probably go to the Ultima. Apple will probably have more options and could go for the amateur race (National Hunt Challenge Cup), but I would like to keep Derek (Fox) on her if possible. You have the Ultima and the Brown Advisory, so we will see.”

Also running is Paul Nicholls’ Brave Kingdom, who has returned from a significant break this season to win both starts in novice handicap chases.

He steps up a level and Nicholls hopes he is open to improvement and may think bigger still if he impresses at Ascot.

“He’s come good, he had problems and missed a lot of time and then he won at Plumpton well and then again at Newbury,” he said.

“He has to progress again, but we’re very happy with him. Newbury was obviously a novice handicap and this is a different race again, but we’re happy with him and he’s had a nice bit of time since Newbury, so hopefully he will run well again.

“Because he has had problems, you only take things race-by-race with him but I suspect if he won or did very well in this then we might look at a better race down the line at Aintree or somewhere like that. I’m not convinced Cheltenham is his track at the moment, but we will see.”

Anthony Honeyball’s Kilbeg King is another interesting contender having finished third in the Grade One Kauto Star at Kempton when last seen, with the Ben Pauling-trained Henry’s Friend and Dan Skelton’s The King Of Ryhope completing the field.

2.05 Wincanton - Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle (Grade 2)

Rubaud returns to the scene of one of his finest hours in pursuit of further riches in the Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.

Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old has won six of his 11 starts over the smaller obstacles and struck at Wincanton in the Elite Hurdle earlier in the season, his fourth win in a row.

Since then he has faced the mammoth task of taking on Constitution Hill at Kempton in the Christmas Hurdle and also had the misfortune of bumping into an imperious Lossiemouth at Cheltenham in the Unibet Hurdle.

He now returns to what appears slightly easier company and despite the champion trainer having some concerns about conditions, he heads to the Somerset venue as the highest rated in the field.

“He’s been a very consistent horse, but the ground would be a slight worry to me,” said Nicholls.

“He did run very well as a novice on soft ground at Kempton on Boxing Day, but most of his form has been on good ground. He’s a bit stronger now, but he enjoys right-handed and an easy two miles. Our intention is to go here and then one more run later down the line, nothing fancy, then he will be going chasing. That’s when you will see the best of him.”

Rubaud had Lorna Fowler’s Colonel Mustard three lengths adrift when they finished first and second in last season’s Scottish Champion Hurdle and the duo are set to lock horns yet again as chasing ambitions are finally put to one side for the Irish raider.

“I think his time over fences is not going to bear the fruits we hoped, but we had a go at chasing because his mark is high enough over hurdles,” said Fowler.

“We decided after Newbury to revert back to hurdles and have always had the Kingwell as sort of a plan from then.

“I’m very happy with the horse and hopefully he will travel OK – he usually does. He does have a massive weight turn around with Rubaud from when they met at Ayr, Rubaud is undoubtedly an improving horse and Mustard will certainly have to bring his A game to be able to beat him.”

Colonel Mustard is no stranger to trips to the UK having placed at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 and also going close at Ascot and Kelso – as well as Ayr – in the past.

Fowler would have preferred better conditions for this latest raid across the Irish Sea, but with over £41,000 on offer to the winner, she feels it is a risk well worth taking.

She went on: “The ground is not really what I want, but then I’m not sure it’s what any of them want and Wincanton have put on some very good prize-money. I have UK-based owners and we’re all keen to have a go and we think it’s a good opportunity and worth a shot.

“Colonel Mustard hasn’t run for a while and is back over hurdles, but he did have a schooling race at Thurles a few weeks ago and hopefully he is in the zone to run his best race.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies won this with the ill-fated I Like To Move It last year and attempts to go back-to-back Guard Your Dreams, while Gary Moore also has fond memories of the race and returns dual-winner Goshen to Wincanton sporting first-time blinkers.

The field of five is rounded off by Kerry Lee’s Nemean Lion who the handler says is in “great form” as he prepares to drop back in trip after a brave second in Kempton’s Lanzarote Hurdle.

3.15 Haydock Park - Virgin Bet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase

Famous Bridge could open the door to a shot at the Randox Grand National when he returns to Haydock for the Virgin Bet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase.

Nicky Richards’ eight-year-old has built up a real love affair with the Lancashire venue this term and followed up a win at the course in November by claiming the Tommy Whittle a month later.

Famous Bridge forms one half of a strong hand for the famous Hemmings Racing silks alongside Jonjo O’Neill’s Welsh Grand National runner-up Iron Bridge and Richards feels conditions are perfect for his charge to return to his best having faltered at Doncaster last month.

“He acts around the place really well and seems in grand fettle,” said Richards.

“It will be deep old heavy ground and hard work for everybody, but we’re looking forward to it. He’s very well and I think he will run a big race.”

Famous Bridge was pulled-up in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster, but his handler lays the blame on his poor start at Town Moor, and said: “If you were watching the race, it was at the start where the problems happened. He was coming in lovely the first time but the starter wouldn’t let them go and when they turned round Sean (Quinlan, jockey) just didn’t get the rub of the green at the start at all.

“It’s the same old story in those big handicaps, they can be won or lost at the start really and it was lost at the start with him. Sean wisely pulled him up after a mile and a half and he was clearly never going to get into it – the winner made all.”

Famous Bridge does hold a Grand National entry, but currently rated 139, connections feel Famous Bridge will need to win on Saturday to stand any chance of sneaking into the National field at Aintree now that the safety limit has been reduced to 34 runners.

Richards added: “I think it will depend on what happens Saturday and what will the bottom weight be to get in the National? We thought 145 or 146 might sneak him in and we know what he will have to do. Let’s hope he does it.”

Disputing favouritism with the Hemmings duo is Emma Lavelle’s Classic Chase heroine My Silver Lining, who appears to have all the attributes to make another bold bid in a marathon event. However, the one unknown the Warwick scorer will have to prove is her ability on really testing ground with Haydock sure to pose a stern stamina examination.

Lavelle said: “Ground-wise, is heavy ground what she wants? I don’t know, she has won on it but she’s pretty versatile with regards to everything really. She was so game at Warwick and she’s gone up 5lb. She jumps brilliantly and when these staying chasers can get in a rhythm it counts for a lot.

“She’s very straightforward, at home and in her races, and that helps. You don’t want to use or waste energy when you don’t need to. She’s in such good order we just decided to let her take her chance as there aren’t going to be that many runners, there’s a lot of positives.”

Anthony Honeyball’s Credo has made the podium at Haydock twice this term before finishing a respectable fourth behind My Silver Lining in the Classic Chase, while Sam Thomas’ Iwilldoit has been a model of consistency once more this term and another sure to be up for this particular challenge on the forecast going.

Venetia Williams has won this three times in the last 10 years, including 12 months ago with Quick Wave, and she saddles both Fontaine Collonges and Becher Chase hero Chambard, with Dan Skelton’s Snipe arriving in Merseyside an improving chaser.

Meanwhile, Gavin Cromwell will attempt to become the first Irish winner of this in almost 30 years as he saddles Yeah Man.

The Pat Fahy-trained Nuaffe was the last raider to pick up this prize back in 1995, but Cromwell has been no stranger to success in the UK this term and Yeah Man went close to picking up a big pot at Ascot just prior to Christmas.

“I am not certain that the heavy ground is going to be completely to his liking, but the trip certainly won’t be a problem,” said Cromwell.

“He’s had a couple of good runs at Ascot without winning and deserves a win at this stage. When he fell at the last on his penultimate start, he was rattling home and it’s one of those ones where we’ll never know. He definitely stays really well. The early part of the race and staying in the race can be an issue with him but I don’t think it’s going to be an issue on heavy ground at Haydock.

“I have no experience of the fences at Haydock, but they should not be a problem.

“The Kim Muir at Cheltenham could be an option in the future, but it might come a bit too soon after Saturday. The Irish National could also be an option, but we’ll see what happens on Saturday first.”

3.27 Gowran Park - Red Mills Chase (Grade 2)

Willie Mullins’ Saint Sam will represent the Closutton stable in the Red Mills Chase on Saturday at a track close to the heart of his late mother, Maureen.

Maureen Mullins died earlier this week aged 94, leaving behind her a remarkable racing legacy as the matriarch of the sport’s most successful family. She was formerly a director of Gowran Park racecourse and a long-standing shareholder as well as a regular presence in support of her late husband, Paddy, and then her children and grandchildren as their careers developed.

There will have been many happy memories shared between the family on Red Mills Chase day, an event her son Willie Mullins has won no less than seven times.

This time he is represented by Saint Sam, one of five runners in the Grade Two contest run over two and a half miles. Owned by Edward Ware, Saint Sam is no stranger to the winner’s enclosure, winning four of his eight starts over fences.

His chief rival is Gordon Elliott’s Riviere D’etel, last seen finishing runner-up to Allegorie De Vassy in the Listed Opera Hat Chase at Naas seven days ago.

“Riviere D’etel is going right-handed, which she certainly enjoys,” said Elliott.

“I would say this trip is probably more her thing than last weekend (two miles), too. She has come out of the race very well and we are very happy with her.”

Elliott also runs Embittered, with Sam Ewing taking the ride on him as Jack Kennedy partners Riviere D’etel.

“Embittered struggled a bit in high-class handicaps the last twice, but he won nicely in Navan before Christmas,” Elliott said.

“It was a quality effort. He’s got a bit to do on ratings, but the trip is right and he’s in good shape and hopefully he gives a good account of himself.”

Elliott will have become very used to seeing Maureen Mullins at racecourses across Ireland and paid tribute to her ahead of the Gowran meeting. He said: “Red Mills Day would have been traditionally a big day in the calendar in Gowran and it’s always a great day.

“This year it will have an altogether different feel to it following the passing of Mrs Mullins, who was such an amazing woman and an iconic figure.”

Gareth Connolly, CEO Connolly’s Red Mills, added: “This year’s renewal will be an emotional one as we remember Maureen Mullins, former director and current shareholder at Gowran Park, who passed away this week. Mrs Mullins was one of the most familiar faces at Gowran Park and racecourses all over the country and her legacy will continue to be felt for generations to come.

“We at Connolly’s Red Mills and the team at Gowran Park extend our heartfelt sympathies to Mrs Mullins’ family and friends and remember her at this time.”

Rest of Haydock Park round-up

Latenightpass will chart an unconventional passage to the Randox Grand National when he makes a belated debut over timber in the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.

The 11-year-old has been a standing dish in the hunter chase sphere for the majority of his career, where point-to-point handler Tom Ellis stewarded the gelding with great success.

However, success over the Aintree fences sparked dreams of a National bid and having finished no worse than fourth in three goes over the famous spruce, connections switched their veteran to nearby Dan Skelton to race under rules and set up a National bid.

It is a move that looks like paying off and having found the scoresheet for Skelton in a cross-country event at Cheltenham in December, Latenightpass finds himself on an official rating of 149 and effectively assured of his place in the line-up for the world’s most famous steeplechase, for which he is as short as 20/1.

To preserve that figure, Skelton has elected to revert to the smaller obstacles for his Aintree tune-up, and with his charge in rude health, is prepared to pitch him into a valuable contest while the iron is hot.

“Not many will debut over hurdles at 11, but he’s a novice because he has gone down an unconventional route,” said Skelton.

“He has lots of experience and he knows how to handle soft ground so we will see how he gets on. He could go and run in a £10,000 novice hurdle anywhere, but we thought we would take aim at something a bit better because of his high mark and this will be his prep for the Grand National.”

Isaac Des Obeaux may not yet be in line for Grand Nationals but could signal his readiness to compete at the top table if he builds on some encouraging performances this season.

Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old has scored twice over an intermediate trip at Chepstow this term and following a respectable effort in a Cheltenham Grade Two last month, steps up in trip for a race the champion trainer won with Makin’yourmindup 12 months ago.

“He ran a super race at Cheltenham the last day which suggested he wants three miles which this trip is,” said Nicholls.

“He doesn’t mind heavy ground and has won twice at Chepstow this year. Hopefully he is progressive and he will have a chance in a competitive race.”

The Ditcheat handler also holds a strong hand in the Virgin Bet Rendlesham Hurdle where his Red Risk will recommence rivalry with Gary Moore’s Botox Has.

Both finished among the also-rans in Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle, but before that were first and second in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby, with Red Risk gunning to reverse the placings this time.

“He will love the ground and he’s a Grade Two horse – we over faced him a little bit the last day,” continued Nicholls.

“He ran very well at Wetherby at the beginning of the season and if he repeats that I think he will be thereabouts.”

Six go to post for the Grade Two event which sees Ruth Jefferson’s high-class chaser Sounds Russian sighted for the first time since being brought down in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup and Nick Alexander’s 2023 winner Wakool defend his crown.

The Skelton team will be represented by Martha Brae, but the up and coming force could well be Olly Murphy’s Butch who is unbeaten in three starts this term and got the better of a strong cast of rivals when bringing up a hat-trick at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

“He’s in good form and although he looks slightly wrong at the weights with one or two, hopefully he can be the improver in the race,” said Murphy.

“He will handle the ground fine and he’s a horse who is definitely not going to Cheltenham, so this will probably be his main target for the season in terms of it being a graded race before he goes chasing next season. We’re looking forward to him.”

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