Saturday 2nd November 2013 Ascot, Wetherby & Down Royal

The National Hunt season takes centre stage domestically tomorrow with The Charlie Hall Chase & JNwine.com Champion Chase the two features.

My eyes will mainly be on Santa Anita, it is definitely a day for information purposes for the future especially due to the rainfall that Ascot & Wetherby have experienced during today.

At Wetherby the reappearance of Gone To Far in the second race on the card is one I will have my eye on as he was smashed off the boards a year ago in a bumper at Newbury to beat today's impressive Wetherby scorer Oscar Rock, he was only beaten a length & duly obliged when next seen in May this year at Kempton. He could be another exciting Novice for the King Team.

The OLBG.com Mares Hurdle has attracted a very competitive field including L'Unique, Doyly Carte, Une Artiste & the improving Cockney Sparrow who connections hope will be running in the mares race at the festival.

 It's A Gimme always highly tried makes his chase debut along with Fair Trade in the next.

At Fishers Cross (see below) was due to reappear but has sustained a cut to his leg so it opens up The West Yorkshire Hurdle. 
Tidal Bay could be a threat but he is getting on now & is coming back from injury. Medinas is small & may lack the class although he won't give up. Across The Bay won a graded hurdle before a fantastic run in The National so is dangerous if allowed an uncontested lead while Captain Sunshine must bounce back from a terrible run first time out. Trustan Times may be the one today, he turned into a classy staying hurdler last year & if ready to roll can start his season with a win.

      

The Big race at Wetherby is The Charlie Hall in which 8 year olds tend to dominate, The race has lost most of its lustre over the last 10 years or so & is won by horses who are just below the top grade with last year's winner Silvinaco Conti an exception although he was exposed in The Gold Cup.

This year's edition however has attracted a top class horse in dual King George winner & Gold Cup winner Long Run (see below). He usually runs well first time out & can be expected to go well.

In opposition are 2 young chasers of real talent Harry Topper & Unioniste of the 2 I would readily prefer Harry Topper, I feel Unioniste may just lack the experience against a horse of Long Run's calibre after all he is only 5. Cape Tribulation has improved over fences in the last few years so has to be respected if the ground gets any worse. Benefficent struggles to get home over 3 miles & I would imagine this is just a nice pipe opener for his season which I hope will end up in The Ryanair at The Festival. The other two are outclassed.

Down Royal's JNWine.com Champion Chase looks a real opputunity for the consistent & top class First Lieuntenant (see below) to gain another Grade 1 win, he ran a satisfactorey race just over 2 weeks ago over a trip short of his best. 

Sizing Europe tries in this race again, he is a grand horse but just does not get home as well as true stayers. Kauto Stone won this race last year but that was the highlight of a season that fizzled out like a damp squib clearly he had issues but you could not back him. The other Gigginstown horses are Roi Du Mee; good in his Grade but not a Grade 1 animal & former winner of this race Quito De La Roque who is another who now falls below top class. Mount Benbulben is my idea of the King George winner & apparently is an unlikely runner due to the going. If he does take his chance I would imagine he will need the outing. Prince De Beauchene would not be out of this on his best form & goes well fresh.

The other Graded race on Down Royal's card has been a Paul Nicholls benefit for the last 6 years & this time around he relies on Rolling Aces, not seen since finishing second to Opening Batsman in The Racing Plus Chase I would be surprised if he is good enough. Oscar's Well doesn't jump well enough for me so I will put a line through him as I will Buckers Bridge even though I like the horse he has been very disappointing since a good start to his chasing career. Texas Jack was a fair Novice last year running in all the top races & with another year on his back can continue in open company. 

Dedigout (see below) had a big reputation but generally has been found out in good company, maybe he had issues & if they have been resolved he could still be up to winning in this Grade, his Gigginstown stablemates Toner D'Oudairies; got the better of the 3 way Gigginstown finish last time out so cannot be discounted & old Tofino Bay; may find this trip just a little bit sharp for his first run of the season. Argocat is another decent animal who has won 3 times at Limerick so whether anywhere else suits him as well is a question he needs to answer.

Ascot stages their first Jumps meeting of the season tomorrow afternoon with the feature The United House Gold Cup.

The race itself has attracted a competitive field, Buddy Bolero seemed not to get home in The National Hunt Chase at The Festival before that he had been on the improve this however is his stiffest test to date. 

Wyck Hill was very impressive at Ascot last year beating Katenko he was then bought by JP McManus & was very disappointing in The Racing Plus Chase, he was back to some sort of form under a big weight at the Punchestown Festival after an aborted attempt at The National. I feel he may be an out & out grinder on bad ground so even with all the rain he may just be best watched. 

Opening Batsman has to prove he can be as competitive from his new mark so again is best watched. 

Bless The Wings (see below) could be the one tomorrow he is back to a winning mark after 2 bad runs when his stable was out of form last season, he should like the ground & the King team has come back firing.

Merry King is a unexposed chaser from Jonjo's stable & we saw what a similar horse John's Spirit did the other day. Festival winner Same Difference is another who is likely to be on the premises from his higher mark but may just find a better weighted animal beating him tomorrow.

Court Minstrel is the main attraction in The Listed William Hill Handicap Hurdle, his trainer Evan Williams has spoken in glowing terms recently & he should be ready to rock first time out. Dildar has promised to be better than he has shown so I would take him to follow Court Minstrel home.

The other Listed race on the card is a very competitive 2m1f handicap chase in which Ulck Du Lin tries to get back on track after an unseat & a pulled up in The Grand Annual. I was at Ascot when he won impressively last season. It will take a very good performance to win tomorrow under his big weight.

Dan Breen has long promised to win a good race & tomorrow's race represents his best chance in ages, he should be ready first time out & has a decent course record. Fairy Rath for Jeremey Kyle beat recent Old Roan Chase winner Conquisto on his last start at the end of last season & before that had won at Ascot, however his best form is on better ground. Avoca Promise is a nice big animal who won recently at Huntingdon he may not be up to this but with the confidence of a win he could run a decent race.

The only domestic Flat meeting takes place at Newmarket & I would be hopeful that Suringle can maintain her unbeaten record in The Listed Montrose Fillies Stakes she was visually impressive on debut at Nottingham powering clear to win by 4 lengths she should have more improvement than her opposition tomorrow. 

Penitent & Nabuco should mop up the other 2 Listed races on the card.

14:10 Ascot Byrne Group Handicap Chase Listed

Dan Breen 22/1 E/W

15:00 Wetherby West Yorkshire Hurdle Grade 2

Trustan Times 13/2 WIN

15:05 Powers Irish Whiskey Stakes Grade 2

Dedigout 8/1 WIN

15:20 United House Gold Cup Chase Grade 3

Bless The Wings 16/1 E/W 

@fttfracing