April 02 / 16.45 Ascot

16.45

Good To Soft

Memberships At Ascot Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Leg 5 Of The Veterans Chase Series)

  • Prize money: £15609
  • 2m 7f 180y
  • Class 2
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Memberships At Ascot Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Leg 5 Of The Veterans Chase Series)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £4.34
  • Place: £2.40

Form: 12P-50 D

Last run: 17 days

W: 12st 0lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 150

Form & Verdict
Not disgraced at Aintree on reappearance but tailed off over four months later at Cheltenham Festival where his usual cheekpieces were replaced by a visor; reverts with headgear today and has a good shout judged on last season's form, including a career-best figure at this track.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

16th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 89y

Class 2

14:05 Market Rasen

Two For Gold

11st 11lb

J: Tom Bellamy

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Teenager who ran well for a long way when very respectable sixth in valuable Ascot handicap (3m, good) on seasonal debut in November; pulled up in similar race back there just before Christmas but might be aided by the refitted tongue-tie here and has slipped to a tempting mark.

20/1

1

1st Nov 2025

Good

2m 7f 185y

Class 1

15:45 Ascot

Two For Gold

12st 0lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Second and fourth in the last two renewals of this and further enhanced his solid record here with another second over this trip in March; can see him running well again but it goes against the grain trends-wise to row in with a 12yo carrying 12st.

25/1

1

1st Nov 2025

Good

2m 7f 185y

Class 1

15:45 Ascot

Two For Gold

12st 0lb

J: Ciaran Gethings

T: Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls

Second and fourth in the last two renewals of this and further enhanced his solid record here with another second over this trip in March; can see him running well again but it goes against the grain trends-wise to row in with a 12yo carrying 12st.

25/1

4/1

  • Place: £2.10

Form: 0-P337 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 10st 2lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 124

Form & Verdict
Third of 18 to Wishing And Hoping in the big race for veterans at Sandown (3m, soft) in January; however, tailed off there three weeks ago and yet to win away from Exeter.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

9

23rd Mar 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 86y

Class 3

17:00 Newbury

Run To Milan

11st 2lb

J: Fergus Gillard

T: Victor Dartnall

This is his trip; unplaced on his previous run here and saves all his best efforts for Exeter where he again ran well last time from 5lb out of the weights; does have form elsewhere but it's on right-handed tracks; perhaps placed at best.

7/1

2nd

15

11th Feb 2024

Heavy

3m 0f 54y

Class 2

16:35 Exeter

Run To Milan

10st 2lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Victor Dartnall

Dual C&D winner, latterly in 2022 edition of this race (soft ground), and has made the frame over C&D on all three starts this season; 5lb out of the weights today but the form of his December second has been very well advertised by the winner since; considered each-way.

14/1

2nd

6

21st Dec 2023

Soft

3m 0f 54y

Class 3

14:55 Exeter

Run To Milan

11st 4lb

J: Alan Johns

T: Victor Dartnall

Has only ever won here and from the front he went down fighting in Enjoy Your Life's recent C&D handicap; down another 2lb but he does look vulnerable to younger legs.

7/1

Form: P-1672 CD

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 0lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 136

Form & Verdict
Has won twice over the Ascot fences, most recently over 3m in November; below form penultimate start but back on song when second of five at Newbury four weeks ago; should not be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

22nd Apr 2024

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

18:30 Kempton

Larry

11st 11lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Gary Moore

took keen hold, held up in rear, no impression before 4 out, pulled up before 3 out

12/1

4

22nd Apr 2024

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

18:30 Kempton

Larry

11st 11lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Gary Moore

took keen hold, held up in rear, no impression before 4 out, pulled up before 3 out

12/1

7

24th Mar 2024

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 2

16:30 Ascot

Larry

10st 11lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Gary Moore

Twice well beaten over C&D this winter, including last time, but in between he won at Plumpton and he's a two-time C&D winner who was third in this race last year; has won on a variety of ground; not ruled out.

7/1

Form: 6-2814 C

Last run: 29 days

W: 11st 9lb

13 yo Gelding

OR: 145

Form & Verdict
13yo front-runner who beat a big field in the veterans final at Sandown (3m, soft; 6lb higher today) in January; outsider of four in Listed race at Kelso four weeks ago but the scale of his defeat is rather disconcerting; won in 2015 over hurdles on his only race here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

1

29th Oct 2023

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 2

13:25 Aintree

Wishing And Hoping

12st 0lb

J: Alex Edwards

T: Mel Rowley

Sound performances in the last two runnings of this race, winning in 2021 and runner-up in 2022; won the latest final of this series at Sandown (soft) in January; has solid credentials and should go well.

7/1

4th

2

2nd Apr 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 180y

Class 2

16:45 Ascot

Wishing And Hoping

11st 9lb

J: Alex Edwards

T: Mel Rowley

13yo front-runner who beat a big field in the veterans final at Sandown (3m, soft; 6lb higher today) in January; outsider of four in Listed race at Kelso four weeks ago but the scale of his defeat is rather disconcerting; won in 2015 over hurdles on his only race here.

13/2

4th

5

4th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

2m 7f 96y

Class 1

15:35 Kelso

Wishing And Hoping

11st 2lb

J: Alex Edwards

T: Mel Rowley

13yo front-runner who beat a big handicap field to win the veterans' final at Sandown (3m, soft) in January; has also won on good/good to soft; vulnerable if today's opponents are at the top of their games but he can make another bold bid.

7/1

Form: P6-U21

Last run: 252 days

W: 11st 1lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 137

Form & Verdict
Collected with a bit in hand over 3m2f at Uttoxeter last July (good to soft); 5lb rise has pushed him towards his highest mark and he was withdrawn at Newbury last Saturday because of soft ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

0

5

22nd Aug 2023

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 2

18:00 Worcester

Ruthless Article

11st 1lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Rebecca Curtis

Back pretty much at his best when second in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter in early July; not so good when favourite there (again 3m2f on good) four weeks later, 13l behind Hell Red, and needs to revert to that better form.

9/1

4th

1

30th Jul 2023

Good To Soft

3m 2f 13y

Class 2

15:10 Uttoxeter

Ruthless Article

12st 0lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Rebecca Curtis

prominent, mistake 6th, hit 11th, ridden when outpaced after 3 out (usual 4 out), not fluent 2 out, weakened last

11/8

2nd

7

2nd Jul 2023

Good

3m 2f 13y

Class 2

15:12 Uttoxeter

Ruthless Article

11st 1lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: Rebecca Curtis

Clear second in this contest last year then went one better (off this mark) in C&D event next time out; well-held fourth to Kinondo Kwetu at Aintree most recently but looks interesting returned to Uttoxeter.

9/1

Form: 641598 D

Last run: 8 days

W: 10st 2lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Haydock winner in November and fifth behind two of these in the veterans final at Sandown; saddled slipped next time but he also needs to do a lot better than at Newbury last Saturday.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14

16th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 21y

Class 3

15:15 Cheltenham

Saint Xavier

10st 13lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Richard Hobson

Long in the tooth now and no longer the force of old; exploited some considerable help from the handicapper when winning at Haydock (3m4f, soft) just after Christmas but was well beaten next time (albeit on heavy ground) and younger rivals have much more appealing profiles.

25/1

14

16th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 21y

Class 3

15:15 Cheltenham

Saint Xavier

10st 13lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Richard Hobson

Long in the tooth now and no longer the force of old; exploited some considerable help from the handicapper when winning at Haydock (3m4f, soft) just after Christmas but was well beaten next time (albeit on heavy ground) and younger rivals have much more appealing profiles.

25/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £15.20
Straight Forecast £13.59
Trifecta £32.30

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Two For Gold

TOPSPEED:

Larry

Daily Record:

Ruthless Article

D Express:

Run To Milan

RP Ratings:

Two For Gold

WEST COUNTRY:

Two For Gold

The Times:

Two For Gold

Telegraph:

Two For Gold

The Sun:

Two For Gold

The Star:

Two For Gold

POSTDATA:

Larry

Daily Mirror:

Larry