February 15 / 15.37 Ascot

15.37

Good To Soft

Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £99662.5
  • 2m 5f 8y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
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Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

Form: 3/4-46 D

Last run: 50 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 155

Form & Verdict
Three-time Grade 1 winner in 2022 but needs to show he retains ability, having been comfortably held in both outings this season; clear possibilities granted a revival but is probably best watched unless the market suggests a return to form is on the cards.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

30th Apr 2025

Yielding

2m 4f 80y

18:05 Punchestown

Blue Lord

11st 12lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

in touch with leaders, chased clear leader 8th

6/1

1

30th Apr 2025

Yielding

2m 4f 80y

18:05 Punchestown

Blue Lord

11st 12lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

in touch with leaders, chased clear leader 8th

6/1

3

4th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Blue Lord

11st 8lb

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

Three Grade 1 wins in 2022; this 10yo isn't the same force nowadays but he took a step back in right direction when 13l third of six in the Grade 1 Ascot Chase (2m5f, good) latest; on a dangerous mark and not ruled out.

7/1

Form: F13-26 D

Last run: 51 days

W: 11st 10lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 163

Form & Verdict
Second-season chaser who never landed a blow in good-ground King George last time (raced mostly on soft/heavy otherwise); not short of stamina, having been successful over 3m6f at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, but his last attempt over 2m5f resulted in a win; major player provided he copes with the return to this distance and shows best form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

14th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 2f 70y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Corbetts Cross

11st 10lb

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Emmet Mullins

Strong stayer who made short work of his rivals in the National Hunt Chase here (3m6f, heavy) last March and showed he could do more than just grind away when close up in the Bowl (3m1f, soft) at Aintree after; unable to go with Banbridge in the home straight in the King George at Kempton (3m) on Boxing Day and his pace was again lacking over 2m5f at Ascot (good) last month, but this test can see him back in a good place; a dollop of rain would help but he isn't a forlorn hope.

20/1

2

15th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 8y

Class 1

15:37 Ascot

Corbetts Cross

11st 10lb

J: Mark Walsh

T: Emmet Mullins

Second-season chaser who never landed a blow in good-ground King George last time (raced mostly on soft/heavy otherwise); not short of stamina, having been successful over 3m6f at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, but his last attempt over 2m5f resulted in a win; major player provided he copes with the return to this distance and shows best form.

5/2

OUR TIP

Form: 784533 D BF

Last run: 8 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
Useful handicap chaser who is well suited by Kempton; soft ground was against him there last week; beaten long way in C&D Grade 2 in November and faces a very stiff task back up in class.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

1

1st Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:55 Kempton

Flegmatik

11st 11lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Three-time course winner (2m4f-3m); not quite at best this season but handicapped according, and went down fighting when a clear second here (2m4f, good) last month; likely contender.

9/4

2nd

1

1st Apr 2025

Good

3m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:55 Kempton

Flegmatik

11st 11lb

J: Tristan Durrell

T: Dan Skelton

Three-time course winner (2m4f-3m); not quite at best this season but handicapped according, and went down fighting when a clear second here (2m4f, good) last month; likely contender.

9/4

Form: 124-31 CD

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 163

Form & Verdict
Finished third in the King George on reappearance then justified favouritism in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham (3m1f, soft), taking record over fences to 8-13; tends to jump left on clockwise tracks, including when second in this race 12 months ago, and it's three years since his last success right-handed; otherwise, he's a big player on ratings.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

9

13th Mar 2026

Good

3m 2f 70y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

LHomme Presse

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Won the Grade 1 Brown Advisory here in March 2022 and also the Cotswold Chase here last January; pushed Spillane's Tower close in that same 3m1f Grade 2 this season, when conceding 6lb to the winner, but no match for Haiti Couleurs since and this 11yo is up against it in today's company.

50/1

2nd

1

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 91y

Class 1

14:10 Newbury

LHomme Presse

11st 8lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Unraced here but a stalwart of the 3m+ chase division elsewhere; runner-up in contrasting styles in two Cheltenham races this season, rallying after losing his place at halfway in a Grade 3 handicap on reappearance, and leading until after the final fence in a four-runner Grade 2 two weeks ago; unraced on heavy but goes well on soft; should ensure that Haiti Couleurs does not have it all his own way.

5/4

2nd

2

24th Jan 2026

Soft

3m 1f 56y

Class 1

14:25 Cheltenham

LHomme Presse

11st 10lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Landed the odds in this race last year (soft ground) and showed a similar level of form when second under big weight in handicap here on reappearance, rallying after losing his place at halfway; should give his running again but has a bit to find on the figures with Grey Dawning.

9/2

Form: 14P-10 D

Last run: 63 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 152

Form & Verdict
Record of 4-7 over fences includes a Grade 1 novice win last term and impressive handicap performance at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft) on reappearance; perhaps unsuited by the return to Cheltenham last time; has something to find at the weights but looks interesting as a second-season chaser who could rate higher still.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

26th Apr 2025

Good

2m 6f 164y

Class 1

14:25 Sandown

Le Patron

11st 5lb

J: David Noonan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Won the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase here (1m7f, heavy) in December 2023 and comfortably won handicap at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft) last November; the return to Sandown is an interesting angle but he's been well beaten the last twice and needs to be better than ever today; headgear applied.

16/1

8

26th Apr 2025

Good

2m 6f 164y

Class 1

14:25 Sandown

Le Patron

11st 5lb

J: David Noonan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Won the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase here (1m7f, heavy) in December 2023 and comfortably won handicap at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft) last November; the return to Sandown is an interesting angle but he's been well beaten the last twice and needs to be better than ever today; headgear applied.

16/1

5

15th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 5f 8y

Class 1

15:37 Ascot

Le Patron

11st 10lb

J: David Noonan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Record of 4-7 over fences includes a Grade 1 novice win last term and impressive handicap performance at Newbury (2m4f, good to soft) on reappearance; perhaps unsuited by the return to Cheltenham last time; has something to find at the weights but looks interesting as a second-season chaser who could rate higher still.

16/1

Form: 121P-1 CD

Last run: 84 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 161

Form & Verdict
Smart chaser and regular front-runner whose last five attempts at Ascot have resulted in form figures of 12111; sole start this season resulted in a second success in the 1965 Chase over C&D (good); beat all bar impressive Shishkin in this contest in 2023, then went one better last year (good to soft); again holds rock-solid claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 210y

Class 1

14:55 Aintree

Pic DOrhy

11st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

11yo who looked as good as ever when runner-up in a captivating battle with Jonbon in the Ascot Chase (2m5f, good to soft) in February, when bidding to win that Grade 1 for the third consecutive year; won the Grade 1 Melling Chase here (2m4f, soft) in 2023; seemed fine at 3m when 1l second in this season's Charlie Hall (good) and his trainer has won this race six times; no surprise to see a bold bid from this front-runner, who is not ruled out.

14/1

2nd

6

14th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 13y

Class 1

15:35 Ascot

Pic DOrhy

11st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Smart front-runner whose record of 5-9 over fences at Ascot features emphatic wins in this race for the last two years (good/good to soft; has scored on soft); had excuses (soon taken on for lead, race possibly came too soon after reappearance) over C&D in November when last seen, failing to land the 1965 Chase for a third time; perhaps best caught fresh nowadays and, assuming he's able to dominate, commands respect in another hat-trick attempt.

7/4

2

1st Nov 2025

Good

3m 0f 45y

Class 1

14:57 Wetherby

Pic DOrhy

11st 10lb

J: Harry Cobden

T: Paul Nicholls

Multiple Grade 2 chase winner who has also won three Grade 1s (good-soft), the latest being the 2m5f Ascot Chase in February; this 10yo is unproven beyond that trip and unraced over 3m, but there's every chance he'll stay and he goes well fresh; key player under 6lb penalty if seeing it out.

9/2

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

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POSTDATA:

L'Homme Presse

RP RATINGS:

Corbetts Cross

D Express:

Corbetts Cross

Telegraph:

L'Homme Presse

Daily Record:

L'Homme Presse

TOPSPEED:

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WEST COUNTRY:

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The Times:

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The Guardian:

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Daily Mail:

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Daily Mirror:

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The Sun:

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The Star:

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