Paul Ferguson has one selection at today’s Ascot meeting; Nicky Henderson’s Chablais in the 14.30. Compare odds.
Ascot stages a cracking six-race card on Friday, with the two Grade 2 novice contests the pick of the action.
With his form stacking up nicely, the unbeaten Hazy Tom is of great interest in the Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle, but this is easily his stiffest task to date and he needs to hurdle more fluently at this level.
The Noel Novices’ Chase looks the race of the day and all eight runner can be given a chance. The one with most potential, however, is Chablais (2:30) who looked a star when winning on his sole hurdles start at the re-arranged King George meeting in January.
The son of Saints Des Saints, who won an Irish point in March last year, made a winning debut over fences back at Kempton last month where his jumping to the left marred an otherwise fine performance.
After that I thought he would almost certainly reappear at a left-handed track, so the fact that Nicky Henderson allows him to take his chance here suggests to me that his schooling has been straight at home since.
Barry Geraghty will probably want to hug the inside rail (to keep horses on his outer) and, if he can get Chablais jumping straight, the pair may take some stopping.
Friday’s selection:
2:30 Ascot Chablais (3/1 Paddy Power / Hills)
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- AL FEROF won Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 10-1
- BENSALEM won Stewart Family Handicap 5-1
- BOBS WORTH won A Bartlett 15-8, 4/4 for year
- CAPTAIN CHRIS won Arkle Trophy 6-1
- FIRST LIEUTENANT won Neptune Investment 7-1
- (plus Grade 1 in Ireland 16-1)
- JAMES DE VASSY won Lanzarote Hurdle 8-1
- LONG RUN won King George 9-2, Gold Cup 7-2
- OSCAR WHISKY won Aintree Hurdle 6-1
- Peddlers Cross (Fighting Fifth Hurdle)
- Medermit (Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase)
- FINIAN’S RAINBOW (Maghull Novices’ Chase)
- WISHFULL THINKING (Manifesto Novices’ Chase)
