15:50 Ascot

Saturday 25 November 2017

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Elite AV Standard Open NH Flat Race

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 3m 39.95s

Portrush Ted²⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Greatrex⁽⁷⁾| T: W Greatrex| D

5/2

A brother to Shantou Village and Bun Doran, so no surprise connections opted to pay €53,000 to secure his services. Made a winning start at Uttoxeter in March (2m soft) when beating Victarion by 2¾L. Penalised, but improvement expected.

Form: 1-

Ar Mest

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore

33/1

Unraced gelding by Diamond Boy out of a Cadoudal mare (Shabada). Even allowing for this track being local for his trainer, this four-year-old must be fairly well regarded to arrive for debut at Ascot on a Saturday.

Form:

Bomber's Moon²³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: M D Grant| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

9/1

Beaten a neck on his debut in soft ground at Warwick in March (by Mance Rayder), but was always in the rear next time when struggling throughout in the Grade 2 Aintree bumper won by Lalor in April.

Form: 20-

Dr Rhythm¹⁹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: P F Nicholls

4/1

€15,500 three-year-old first foal by Kalanisi out of an unraced dam (Muscova Rose). Acquired out of the point-to-point field (winner) by Paul Nicholls, so merits market inspection on rules/bumper debut.

Form: 1

High Rail^h1

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: A G Newcombe

80/1

Unraced, hooded gelding with a Flat pedigree. By High Chaparral out of Cool Catena (One Cool Cat). Others likely far stronger.

Form:

Kingsley²³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: C Gethings⁽³⁾| T: S Edmunds

50/1

Son of Kalanisi purchased for €21,000 in June 2016. Half-brother to the useful hurdler On The Record, but showed very little on debut at Huntingdon in April (2m good) when finishing a tailed off last of ten to Cresswell Legend.

Form: 0-

Lord Getaway¹⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: H J Evans

66/1

Has plenty of experience in point-to-points, and was a winner for Colin Bowe at Courtown in April 2017 (3m maiden yielding to soft). Sold for £9,500 in July, and makes his rules/bumper debut today.

Form: P41F-43

Loud As Lions

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Benjamin Poste| T: T Symonds

25/1

Fetched €66,000 as a three-year-old (€21,000 foal). His dam Misspublican was a bumper winner and a sister to the useful Publican. Well worthy of market inspection, albeit perhaps (with respect) not from an ultra-fashionable stable for bumpers.

Form:

Malachite³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

14/1

Eighth foal by Malinas out of Kali. A half-brother to various winners including Midnight Cowboy and Danceintothelight. Easy to back on debut at Worcester (2m good) last month and posted only a moderate effort.

Form: 9

Nestor Park²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: David Bass| T: B Pauling| BF

6/1

Cost €70,000 as a three-year-old, and his trainer has saddled other winners in bumpers already this term. No match for Ballygomartin (ran with credit since) on debut at Bangor late last month, but capable of drawing upon that experience today.

Form: 2

Roc Merle

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: L Treadwell| T: Miss V Williams

20/1

Unraced gelding by Milan, so stamina should be his forte. Out of a Tremblant mare (Me Grannys Endoors). Much more likely to be one for the longer term.

Form:

Stockburn³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King

33/1

Son of Scorpion who cost £28,000 at the sales in May last year, and is a half-brother to winner Coeur Joyeux. Made a low-key debut in a Worcester bumper last month (2m good), finishing tenth to Skidoosh (Malachite ninth).

Form: 0

Tea Time On Mars¹⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Lucy Gardner⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner

10/1

Beaten just over 7L on debut at Uttoxeter in May (2m good to soft) when fourth of ten to Holyrale. A half-brother to various winners including Tea Time Fred and Quick Brew, but surely not strong enough this afternoon.

Form: 4

The Raven's Return

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Daniel Sansom⁽⁷⁾| T: J W Mullins

33/1

Unraced Scorpion gelding out of a Bonnet Rogue mare (Mimis Bonnet). Unlikely to be involved in the shake up based on pedigree and his trainers past record in these type of races.

Form:

Wallace Spirit

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N J Henderson

7/1

Unraced grey gelding by Le Havre out of In Love New. Sales price rose by €37,000 from two to three (fetched €44,000 as a three-year-old). Half-brother to various winners including bumper scorer Stand By Me, and represents top connections.

Form:

Forecasts

Portrush Ted (5/2), Dr Rhythm (4/1), Nestor Park (6/1), Wallace Spirit (7/1), Bomber's Moon (9/1), Tea Time On Mars (10/1), Malachite (14/1), Roc Merle (20/1), Loud As Lions (25/1), The Raven's Return (33/1), Ar Mest (33/1), Stockburn (33/1), Kingsley (50/1), Lord Getaway (66/1), High Rail (80/1)

With no simple default option to a Fergal O'Brien trained bumper newcomer available, we're forced to look elsewhere for a selection. Nestor Park made a pleasing debut at Bangor last month behind Ballygomartin (not disgraced at Cheltenham since), so therefore with minimal improvement should be thereabouts for Ben Pauling. Paul Nicholls saddles Dr Rhythm, whilst the pick of the Nicky Henderson trained runners could be the newcomer Wallace Spirit. Loud As Lions is worthy of mention on pedigree for Tom Symonds, but the vote goes to the penalised Uttoxeter scorer PORTRUSH TED. His trainer Warren Greatrex negates that penalty through the use of his talented son Thomas in the saddle, and given the greeness his gelding displayed in winning on debut, he still looks capable of plenty of improvement.