Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Ascot and Haydock on Saturday. View selections below.
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CYRNAME (2.05) has thrown down the gauntlet to Altior at Ascot and looks primed to end the champion chaser’s glorious sequence of 19 unbeaten runs over hurdles and fences.
Cyrname was pushed clear straight from the tapes and maintained a relentless gallop to thrash Waiting Patiently by 17 lengths over course and distance in February and Harry Cobden looks certain to adopt similar forcing tactics. Altior is already a legend and Nicky Henderson has little doubt his stable superstar will stay this 2m 5f distance. His reign must come to an end one day and Cyrname is such a natural around Ascot that he is the value bet against the odds-on favourite.
CALL ME LORD (2.40) was very lightly campaigned last season and was last seen finishing third in the Imperial Cup at Sandown, conceding lumps of weights to Malaya and Monsieur Lecoq. That two miles trip was too short and Call Me Lord was seen to even better effect when dishing out a 16 lengths thrashing to Lil Rockerfella over 2m 5f on an earlier Sandown visit. He can win the Coral Hurdle at the main expense of Roksana and If The Cap Fits, evenly matched on their running in the Ryanair Stayers’ Hurdle over three miles at Aintree last April. Roksana has the benefit of a run two weeks ago when beaten by Top Notch in a blanket finish.
THE LAST DAY (3.20) produced a prodigious display of accurate jumping to spread-eagle his field in the manner of an improving chaser at Aintree a fortnight ago and may be capable of coping with a steep rise in the ratings. Capeland and Diego Du Charmil renew rivalry following their controversial course and distance clash three weeks ago, while Knocknanuss, third to Saint Calvados and Vaniteux at Cheltenham, is interesting in first-time blinkers.
BRISTOL DE MAI (3.00) is bidding to scoop his third Betfair Chase at Haydock and is worth a decent bet at odds-against. The grey has been imperious in this event, whipping Cue Card by 57 lengths on heavy in 2017 before repelling Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River 12 months ago. He gets the vote over rising star Lostintranslation, so impressive on his return at Carlisle, and popular Ryanair Chase winner Frodon.
The staying handicap chasers get the opportunity to strut their stuff in a 3m 4f stamina test and LATE ROMANTIC (3.40) seemed to have benefited from a wind procedure when scoring by five lengths under 12-stone at Wetherby at the beginning of the month. Know The Score is fancied to go well and Ian Williams, who landed this race 12 months ago with Red Infantry, relies on Zerachiel. The nine-year-old didn’t show an awful lot last season but scored by 15 lengths over course and distance in March 2018.
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Tally Ho
Alan
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