When it comes to getting-out races, there are few all year to match the £150,000 handicap hurdle which closes the traditional pre-Christmas card at Ascot on Saturday afternoon.
Once the Ladbroke at Leopardstown but now sponsored by Betfair, Saturday’s renewal has the familiar mixture of seasoned handicappers, dark horses and everything in between. Since it arrived at Ascot in 2001, the winner’s SP has ranged from 9-4 to 33-1, and no horse, understandably, has ever won it twice.
Jolly’s Cracked It, successful in 2015, attempts to break that sequence this time and could well start favourite to do so. He is now nine but quite lightly raced overall, having been off for two years before his win over this track and trip last month.
He has a big chance on that form but has top weight and it is hard to see him beating all 20 of his rivals. Cyrus Darius, Western Ryder and Fidux are just three to consider closely, but at the prices narrow preference is for Fiesole (3.35) at around 10-1 to win on his debut for Olly Murphy – just as Hunters Call did 12 months ago.
Ascot 1.50 Three straight wins in France last spring and high-powered new connections could be enough to see Janika start favourite for his debut over British fences. It is tough to give weight away after a break, however, and Hell’s Kitchen could be the value at around 6-1. He had a considerate reintroduction at Aintree in November and anything close to the form of his ready win at Kempton on Boxing Day would make him a big player.
Haydock 2.05 Ballymoy could not extend his winning streak to four in the Gerry Fielden at Newbury last time but he was beaten only five lengths by the winner and races off the same mark here. The extra two furlongs could well eke out a little more improvement in the Nigel Twiston-Davies runner too.
Ascot 2.25 Sam Spinner put up one of the best performances of the season by a staying hurdler in this race last year but has not won in three starts since. It is possible to make excuses for all but he is up against a deep field. Call Me Lord, who produced a huge weight-carrying performance when second in the Imperial Cup, is an obvious danger though unproven at the trip, so narrow preference is for the evergreen Unowhatimeanharry, a convincing winner last time after Sam Spinner departed two out when beaten.
Haydock 2.40 Sharp Response is still quite lightly raced over fences and finished strongly to get within four lengths of the winner at Newcastle last time out. A slight drop in grade for this contest could make all the difference.
Ascot 3.00 On the form of his close second behind Elegant Escape at Sandown in early November, Thomas Patrick is rock-solid value at around 6-1. On his form when pulled up in the Ladbroke Trophy at Newbury, not so much. Tom Lacey, his trainer, reports that nothing has come to light since Newbury and while last year’s winner Gold Present is back for more, Thomas Patrick would be a strong favourite but for his Newbury disappointment. He is worth a bet at decent odds to get back on track.
Newcastle 11.40 Copt Hill 12.10 Skipthescales 12.45 I’m To Blame 1.20 Chidswell 1.55 Eternally Yours 2.30 Le Frank 3.05 Alright Sunshine
Haydock Park 1.50 Aristo Du Plessis 12.25 Brelan D’As 1.00 Papagana 1.35 Shear Rock 2.05 Ballymoy 2.40 Sharp Response 3.15 The Hollow Ginge
Lingfield 12.00 Social Butterfly 12.35 Impart 1.10 Top Rank 1.45 Pride’s Gold 2.15 Wissahickon 2.50 Redicean 3.25 Zarrar
Ascot 12.40 Almost Gold 1.15 Kildisart1.50 Hell’s Kitchen 2.25 Unowhatimeanharry 3.00 Thomas Patrick (nb) 3.35 Fiesole (nap)
