Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1)

Off time: 15:36 | Winning time: 5m 45.57s

Cyrname^t⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 177| BF| CD

4/11

The top-rated chaser in the country (177); most impressive when winning this race by 17L last year and was always in full control when beating the mighty Altior here in November (Christy 1965 Chase); drops back in trip after the King George.

Form: 3711-12

Janika^t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 164

9/1

Regularly on the premises in ultra-competitive handicap chases last season (fourth in the Topham at Aintree); set stiff tasks against Defi Du Seuil & Un De Sceaux since winning the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter (2m1½f, soft) in early November.

Form: 24-1444

Riders Onthe Storm⁵⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 162| CD

7/2

Formerly trained by Tom Taaffe; unbeaten in two starts this season for Nigel Twiston-Davies (raising his form to a whole new level); tanked through the race when a most taking heavy ground C&D winner (Graduation Chase) in late December.

Form: 31FP-11

Traffic Fluide^p⁴⁶⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 149| C| D

40/1

Finished last of those to complete in this contest in 2017 & 2018; off the track since displaying tenacity in spades to win the Gr 3 Sodexo Gold Cup here (3m, good) in November 2018; more suitable opportunities lie ahead (National entrant).

Form: 5011/21-

Forecasts

Cyrname (4/11), Riders Onthe Storm (7/2), Janika (9/1), Traffic Fluide (40/1)

Riders Onthe Storm has shown a new lease of life since joining Nigel Twiston-Davies (2-2) but at face value is only competing for the second-place berth with the Haldon Gold Cup winner Janika. The top-rated chaser in the country CYRNAME is on a retrieval mission after failing to stay the 3m trip in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. However, as an emphatic winner of this race last year and also the sole conqueror of the mighty Altior, he simply can't be opposed in defending an unbeaten C&D record (3-3). If successful he will etch his name in history as the fifth dual winner of the Grade 1 Ascot Chase (first since Cue Card, 2013 & 2017).