17:30 Ascot

Sunday 25 March 2018

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Colts & Fillies Club Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 17:32 | Winning time: 5m 36.90s

Kilfinichen Bay³²

Age: 10| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr S Lee⁽⁷⁾| T: F Hutsby| OR: 118

8/1

Winner of eight hurdles races and three chase contests when trained by Charlie Longsdon. Poor reappearance last month at Doncaster in first hunter chase / bow for new yard. Work to be done.

Form: 106444

Marinero¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: D M Christie| OR: 132

6/1

Point-to-point winner on soft ground at Tinahely in January but beaten twice in that sphere since and pulled up in Kim Muir at Cheltenham (100/1 chance). This is a more realistic goal.

Form: 45125P

Midnight Cowboy¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-6| J: T Gredley⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Owen| OR: 137| D

9/4

Winner over fences at Stratford in August, recent point-to-point win will leave him ripe for this and as likely as any on first rules start for this handler.

Form: 113161

Monsieur Gibraltar^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 12-6| J: Miss H C Tucker⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs R Loxton| OR: 128| CD

13/8

Ex-Paul Nicholls made his mark in this sphere for new trainer last season, making it a double with ready success in this contest. On the mark twice in point-to-points lately and much respected going after this prize again.

Form: 6-P1211

Numbercruncher¹⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr David O'Brien⁽⁷⁾| T: David O'Brien| OR: 105

14/1

Multiple winner of point-to-points over 3m but invariably on better ground. Won in this sphere at Stratford last June but was pulled-up in testing conditions when returning at Leicester recently. Ground a concern here.

Form: 41-P31P

Aero Majestic^p¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Lewis Stones⁽⁵⁾| T: Sean Conway| OR: 103

40/1

Lightly-raced five-year-old with little in the way of solid form. Beaten 40L in 2m hunter chase at Leicester (heavy) 16 days ago. Longer trip a plus, but hard to forecast a prominent role.

Form: 345507

Deadly Sting^p,t³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss A Stirling⁽³⁾| T: Paul Henry Webb| OR: 114| D

12/1

Not a lot of miles on the clock for a nine-year-old, back from long absence (646 days) when second in 2m5f heavy-ground hunter chase at Ffos Las 35 days ago. Capable of having a say if able to reproduce that form.

Form: 143/P-62

Hazy Tom^t³⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss Brodie Hampson| T: Karen Phillips-Hill| OR: 105| D

33/1

Useful on his day but disappointed in a hunter chases at Fontwell (2m5f, soft) last May and again at Lingfield last month (also poor in point-to-point between times). Appears up against it on those efforts.

Form: 234-5P5

Result Amended

Aero Majestic - Original Position 6th. Amended Position 7th.

Hazy Tom - Original Position 7th. Amended Position 6th.

Forecasts

Monsieur Gibraltar (13/8), Midnight Cowboy (9/4), Marinero (6/1), Kilfinichen Bay (8/1), Deadly Sting (12/1), Numbercruncher (14/1), Hazy Tom (33/1), Aero Majestic (40/1)

Last year's winner MONSIEUR GIBRALTAR and Midnight Cowboy come here with winning point-to-point form and preference is for the first-named. He was a ready winner of this a year ago and has had an ideal preparation for his defence. Midnight Cowboy was a winner over regulation fences at Stratford in August and isn't likely to go down without a fight. Marinero and Deadly Sting look the best-placed of the remainder.