Before we gear up for Christmas and the Boxing Day madness, we have one last Group One at Ascot with the Long Walk Hurdle. Strong Leader, Crambo and The Wallpark all feature for another strong renewal of the big race. Plus plenty of good handicap action to go alongside.
Go and be Great
1:50 – Howden Graduation Chase – Iroko @ 11/10 (William Hill, BetVictor)
Last time out at Haydock, Iroko could be forgiven for his run on the particularly wet and boggy conditions when finishing half a length second to Trelawne. This time the ground looks like it’s in his favour but is surrounded by three Irish raiders. However, they’re not the absolute best that Ireland can offer, and although James du Berlais looks threatening on ratings, Iroko should come on for his first run this season and offer a more polished round of jumping.
A Strong Choice
2:25 – Long Walk Hurdle (Grade One) – Strong Leader @ 15/8 (William Hill, BetVictor)
Strong Leader has developed into a proper Grade One hurdler and trainer Olly Murphy thinks the world about him. And despite a weak renewal in the Long Distance Hurdle, he won with ease to blow the cobwebs off. One slight negative may be that he hasn’t won right-handed. However he was a length second to one of today’s opponents Blueking D’Oroux over a shorter trip in November in 2023. Today, I see no issues with him and should primed for his second Grade One.
Don’t discount last year’s Crambo, however. This is his first outing this season and Fergal O’Brien horses to have a tendency to win early on in their campaigns. It’s clear he’s been aimed at this race once again, and without a prep run one might be concerned. But last season he came out of handicaps to step up right to the mark, and this might be the one time to catch him this season. 10/1 (William Hill, BetVictor).
V For A Venetia Victory
3:00 – Silver Cup Handicap Chase (Premier H’cap) – Victtorino @ 2/1 (William Hill)
It’s not a Saturday in the middle of the bleak midwinter without a Venetia Williams winner on Saturday. And one of the horses she will look to have primed, for a second bite of the cherry, is Victtorino. He didn’t live up to the expectations of headline news in the Racing Post for the Coral Gold Cup but stayed on well to finish third. Now off an unchanged mark, one pound higher than last year’s winning run and two wins from three at Ascot, he’s the obvious choice to go with here.
With the edition of the David Power Jockey’s Cup, Harry Skelton has now taken advantage to win at least one race on ITV until the end of the season. And Flegmatik represents, possibly, his best chance of the day. He comes back into handicap company and is five pounds lower than his run two starts back, after never impressing in Grade Two company. He has a better record going right-handed after success at Kempton in January. He’s also three pounds lower than his third-place mark in last year’s contest. Great chance at 11/1 (General).
Starting a Kabral
3:35 – Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle (Premier H’cap) – Kabral Du Mathan @ 7/2 (William Hill)
Unbeaten in three starts, Kabral Du Mathan may find this field testing. However, he bossed the field last time out on handicap debut, on only his third start. The second-placed horse then went and won yesterday boosting the form no end. The ground should be to his liking and looks to be the only Paul Nicholls’ horse that, if campaigned right, may see the season out unbeaten again (famous last words!)
Fiercely Proud was no where near fit looking back on his run in the Greatwood Hurdle, yet it was a decent effort to finish sixth. The Pauling team must still think a great deal of him to put him back in a premier handicap and will have targeted this race since the day after his disappointing Greatwood run. 10/1 (General).
The Very Best of Luck!
