15:35 Ascot
Saturday 18 February 2017
All13:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:45
Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1)
- 5YO plus  |  Class 1  |  2m 5f 8y  |  Soft (Good to Soft in places)  |  6 Runners  |  Turf  |   Weighed In
- Off time: 15:37Â Â |Â Â Winning time: 5m 25.2s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Eight-time Grade 1 winner who was no match for stablemate Thistlecrack last time out in the King George. The close proximity of the remainder of the field does suggest that he may have been below form that day and ground conditions should suit better here. Not won over a trip this short 2015 but unlikely to be an issue and hard to oppose.
Career best when winning the Charlie Hall at Wetherby at the start of the season but not quite in the same form in two efforts since, pulled up behind Cue Card in heavy ground at Haydock and then third of five behind the ill-fated Many Clouds at Aintree. Short break may have freshened him up though and one of the likelier types to give Cue Card a race.
A very smart chaser on his day and showed his best two starts back here, making all to win a seven-runner conditions chase over 2m5f. Paid the price for trying to keep tabs on Un De Sceaux at Cheltenham last time but may get an easier time of things on the front end and his last two runs have come over C&D.
Made an excellent start for this yard on New Year's Day but not been in the same form since and looks out of his depth here.
2m4f/2m5f in soft ground clearly his optimum conditions and career best over fences two starts back when winning a valuable Grade 3 at Cheltenham. Will no doubt need more here though and only one of his nine wins have come going right handed so that would also be a minor concern.
No match for Altior and Foxrock last week when finishing last of four and step up in trip is a bit of an unknown and he's less exposed than most but this is a major test for a horse this inexperienced.
Forecasts
Cue Card (4/9), Taquin Du Seuil (4/1), Royal Regatta (11/1), Irish Cavalier (14/1), Traffic Fluide (20/1), Shantou Flyer (22/1)
CUE CARD may not go off at a backable price but he's very difficult to oppose with any degree of confidence and would have to run somewhere near a stone below his recent performances for him to come up short here. Royal Regatta may get an easy lead so he looks like the pace angle in the race while Taquin du Seuil get's his optimum conditions and Irish Cavalier is better than what he's showed on his last two starts.
1. Cue Card
2. Royal Regatta
3. Taquin Du Seuil
Prize Money
1st: £85,425.002nd: £32,055.003rd: £16,050.004th: £7,995.005th: £4,020.006th: £2,010.00
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