Ascot Saturday

Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1)

IT was a red-letter day for Jeremy Scott as the thriving Dashel Drasher (Matt Griffiths) gained his third and much his most important course and distance success in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase, proving tremendously tough as he withheld the late challenge of Master Tommytucker (Paul Nicholls/Daryl Jacob) from the last, scoring by two lengths to reward his backers at 4/1.

The winner made sure that 2019 hero Cyrname (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) didn’t have things all his own way after the favourite poached an early lead, and when he was tackled on the run to Swinley Bottom, Cyrname cracked worryingly quickly – it transpired that he had suffered a respiratory problem.

Taking Cyrname on early meant that Dashel Drasher was vulnerable to a late challenge, and it looked sure that Master Tommytucker would pick him up in the straight, but the winner would not be passed, bearing left towards his rival after the last in a manner which would have made Desert Orchid proud.

Tactics

Master Tommytucker ran well under a change of tactics, with Daryl Jacob keeping him close enough but in clear space on the outside, and the 10-year-old responded to the ride, without being able to conjure up a change of gear when needed.

The Ryanair would probably be a step too far for the winner, but he continues to surprise with his progress, and tends to jump and hang to his left in his races, which suggests he should be capable of repeating this form elsewhere.

On the other hand, he’s now won all four of his starts at the Berkshire venue, which clearly suits him perfectly.

THE Grade 2 Bateaux London Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase was marred by the fatal heart-attack of top-rated runner Sevarano, and only three of the runners finished, but it still produced a smart winner in the shape of Remastered (David Pipe/Tom Scudamore), who produced a display of attacking jumping from the front, and stayed on dourly when challenged by the smooth-travelling Demachine (Kerry Lee/Richard Patrick), to win by four lengths at 9/2.

Kalooki faded from the turn to finish last, beaten 33 lengths by the winner, who now looks a National Hunt Chase candidate.

Remastered was the lowest-rated of these by the handicapper, but his figure was predicated by his hurdles form, his win in a match at Wetherby on his previous start not easy to rate. The strapping son of Network failed to reach his potential over hurdles, but is clearly better suited to fences based on this display, and a return to forcing tactics has also played a part. Perhaps it’s dangerous to overrate this form, but the second has established himself as a useful handicapper in a handful of runs, and appeared to give his running again, so it’s dangerous to write him off, given he appeals as the type to find further improvement over marathon trips.