15:40 Ascot

Friday 20 December 2019

All12:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Isobel Championship Standard Open NH Flat Race (Listed)

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 3m 50.42s

Israel Champ^h,t³³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| D

8/1

Milan gelding; made all and stayed on strongly when springing a 16-1 surprise in a Listed bumper at Cheltenham (2m, soft), beating Time Flies By (Stoner's Choice fifth) by 1¾L; carries a 4lb penalty; retains the hood and tongue-tie.

Form: 1-61

Benson²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Dr R D P Newland

20/1

Beat Hollow gelding; made it third-time lucky when scampering 9L clear of Jetaway Joey at Market Rasen (2m½f, soft) four weeks ago; this represents a sterner test of his credentials.

Form: 5-81

Bravemansgame²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

9/1

Impressive point winner for Donnchadh Doyle (subsequently burdened by a £370,000 price tag); kept on late in the piste on C&D rules debut (soft) when finishing 6¾L third to Soaring Glory (Kid Commando second); should progress with experience banked.

Form: 1-3

Butte Montana⁵⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| BF

7/1

Presenting gelding from a bumper winner (My Cool Lady) who was a sister to both In Compliance and One Cool Cookie; couldn't match the finishing speed of Time Flies By when a beaten favourite at Cheltenham (2m, heavy) in October.

Form: 2

Kid Commando^t1²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Aidan Coleman| T: A J Honeyball| BF

5/1

Cost €80,000 in May; absolutely bolted up on rules debut at Fontwell (2m1½f, soft) before finding Soaring Glory 4½L stronger (Bravemansgame third) over C&D (soft) a fortnight later; a tongue-tie is now applied to this front-runner.

Form: 51-12

Motdepas

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

66/1

Davidoff gelding; first foal from the French hurdler/chaser Singastar; cost €21,000 as a 3yo; is facing a very tough introduction to racing in this Listed event, but it's never wise to dismiss a Gary Moore-trained runner at Ascot.

Form:

Shantou Express⁷⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| D

11/2

Shantou gelding; runner-up to the rock solid mare Floressa on debut at Ludlow (2m) in March; was soon clear, easily landing the odds (by 9L) on seasonal reappearance at Stratford in October (form which is respectable).

Form: 2-1

Soaring Glory²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| CD

11/8

Fame and Glory gelding who looks a snip at €68,000 (as a 3yo); made it 2-2 in bumpers with an imperious display over C&D (soft) last month, beating Kid Commando and Bravemansgame in the process; very difficult to oppose on all known form.

Form: 11

Stoner's Choice³³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Max Kendrick| T: F O'Brien| D

25/1

Won on his second start for Ben Case at Warwick (2m, good) in April, form given a minor boost since by Dundrum Wood; fifth best to the winner Israel Champ and stablemate Brief Ambition (fourth) on debut for Fergal O'Brien at Cheltenham.

Form: 21-5

Non-Runners

Baddesley⁷⁶

Weight: 11-4| Age: 4

T: C Gordon J: Tom Cannon

Forecasts

Soaring Glory (11/8), Kid Commando (5/1), Shantou Express (11/2), Butte Montana (7/1), Israel Champ (8/1), Bravemansgame (9/1), Baddesley (10/1), Benson (20/1), Stoner's Choice (25/1), Motdepas (66/1)

A traditionally strong bumper which features last month's 1/2/3 SOARING GLORY, Kid Commando and Bravemansgame. The Paul Nicholls-trained runner cost an eye-watering £370,000 out of the Irish point-to-point scene and with a lofty home reputation is expected to improve leaps and bounds for that initial experience. Meanwhile, the addition of a tongue-tie could assist the Anthony Honeyball-trained runner who simply tired in the home straight after forcing the pace. Nevertheless, it's difficult to envisage either horse reversing placings with Jonjo O'Neill's Fame And Glory gelding, who has the potential to take star-billing in this division with spring targets on the horizon.