15:20 Ascot

Saturday 2 November 2019

All12:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:55

Sodexo Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 5m 59.40s

Black Corton^t⁹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Bryony Frost| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 163| CD

12/1

Top class chaser, often mixes it with the best company and gained due reward for some consistent efforts when successful in the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase at Sandown last year; this mark looks very tough, though.

Form: P2221-2

Double Shuffle^h²¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 156| D

33/1

Very useful when he gets it right, placed in a King George in his time and has other solid effort sat that track too; not so good away from there though, although going right-handed here may help, but may need the run all the same.

Form: F252P0-

Go Conquer^t¹⁸⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 155| CD

25/1

Likes it here, third in this last year from a 7lb lower mark and took the valuable Skybet Chase at Doncaster laster in the season; new high mark demands more, but can go well fresh, so not discounted.

Form: 8/321PP-

Cobra De Mai^p,t¹⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 153

50/1

Very impressive when taking a Class 2 handicap at Cheltenham in April, but couldn't run anywhere near that form when well beaten by Black Corton afterwards; probably doesn't want a lot of rain, and this mark demands more.

Form: P71514-

Vinndication^t1²³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 151| CWS

2/1

Impressed when successful twice at the start of last season and continued to run well when mixing it in top company after that; potential to do better again this year, clearly goes well fresh, and any more rain a plus; looks a player.

Form: 11/1135-

Mister Malarky²¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: T Scudamore| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 150| CD

8/1

Progressive sort throughout the last twelve months and rounded off last year with a good second to the smart Kildisart at Aintree; new high mark to contend with but surely more to come this year, and has to be taken seriously here.

Form: 131142-

On The Blind Side^p¹⁸⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 149| D

5/1

Unexposed over fences, beat the classy Talkischeap at Kempton in January and did little wrong when second at Sandown on final start; seems to need good ground, so rain would be a negative, but dangerous to rule out, with prospect of more to come.

Form: 16/41P2-

Adrien Du Pont^t²¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 149| C| DWS

12/1

Tends to play the waiting game in his races and he made that pay at Kempton last December; just as effective here but still 5lb higher than that win and tends to need a run or two to put him right.

Form: F/47130-

Ultragold^t²¹⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 10-9| J: Harry Kimber⁽⁷⁾| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 146

50/1

Enjoys Aintree's fences, Topham winner back in 2018 and then third in last year's Becher Chase; is presumably using this as a warm up for another crack at that, and others make more appeal.

Form: 1/435P0-

Acting Lass^t¹⁸²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: S Bowen| T: H Fry| OR: 143| C

16/1

Made hay in small field novice chases last year, winning three of them but limitations seemingly exposed in two good handicaps after that; starts this season with plenty to prove then, and others readily preferred.

Form: 41119/P

Larry^t¹⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 143

10/1

Twice a winner over fences last year, game effort to win at Sandown on final start and 4lb rise for that is fair; stays this far and seems to act on most ground, but tends to need first run of the year to put him right.

Form: 4F1421-

Potterman⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 143| BF

25/1

Has been mopping up in summer novice chase events this year, winning three of them and lost nothing in defeat at Warwick last time when just failing to give plenty of weight away; this is an acid test for him, but he's going the right way.

Form: 113112

Regal Encore^t²²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-5| J: R P McLernon| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 142| CD

20/1

For is in-and-out to say the least, but he is capable of the surprise if he gets out of bed the right side; sadly those days few and far between now, and although he has some respectable efforts at Ascot to his name, not hard to look elsewhere.

Form: 637-208

Ami Desbois^t¹⁸²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 142| DWS

25/1

Not the biggest but stays really well and can't have the ground deep enough; deserves another one of these for his consistency but now on a new high mark and it's actually a while since he got his head in front.

Form: 34262-2

Springtown Lake²¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 138

9/1

On the plus side, won first time up last year, so goes well fresh, but form rather fell away in the second half of last year and starts off this season with a bit to prove. Well handicapped if he can bounce back, although may be happier at shorter.

Form: 0/1245P-

Relentless Dreamer^p,t²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 137| D

11/1

Stays all day and this trip probably a bare minimum for him; came back from a long absence to finish a very good third at Chepstow last month but the worry would be he'll "bounce" from that; chances if he doesn't.

Form: 364/31-3

Non-Runners

Whisper²¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 11

T: S Thomas J: D A Jacob

Walk In The Mill²¹⁰

Weight: 10-5| Age: 9

T: R Walford J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Vinndication (2/1), On The Blind Side (5/1), Mister Malarky (8/1), Springtown Lake (9/1), Larry (10/1), Relentless Dreamer (11/1), Black Corton (12/1), Adrien Du Pont (12/1), Acting Lass (16/1), Regal Encore (20/1), Potterman (25/1), Go Conquer (25/1), Ami Desbois (25/1), Walk In The Mill (25/1), Double Shuffle (33/1), Ultragold (50/1), Cobra De Mai (50/1), Whisper (50/1)

Another race with plenty of pace on - Go Conquer, Black Corton and Ami Desbois all like to lead and there will be no hiding place here. Vinndication and MISTER MALARKY come into this as second season novices and both should have plenty of improvement to come. Preference is for Mister Malarky, who looks a stout stayer and should find this test to his liking. Vinndication looks a big danger on the best of his form of last year but is not proven at the trip, and that swings the vote Mister Malarky's way. Relentless Dreamer may be best of the rest.