AS was the case when the pair met in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton last season, it was the slicker jumping of Bravemansgame (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) which gave him a significant edge over old rival Ahoy Senor, and the latter’s mid-race crisis of confidence ruined all chance he had in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall at Wetherby last Saturday.

Bravemansgame was typically accurate at his fences, and although Ahoy Senor flew a couple of the early obstacles, he struggled to correct himself when unable to see a long stride, and failed to figure in the finish, with the 2/1 winner followed home by Eldorado Allen (Joe Tizzard/Brendan Powell), three and a half lengths adrift of the winner, and half a length clear of the gallant Sam Brown (Anthony Honeyball/Aidan Coleman), who was the only one to throw down a challenge to the winner in the straight.

Debate

Whether Bravemansgame enhanced his King George chances with this performance is open to debate; the immediate reaction from the TV pundits was overwhelmingly positive, but we learned nothing new.

The son of Brave Mansonnien is thoroughly likeable and professional, while his jumping is neat and polished, as it has been since day one of his chasing career.

He’s been found wanting in the spring for the past two seasons, however, and the truth is that he doesn’t hide anything on the track.

He’s a high-class chaser who can be relied upon to give his running at Christmas, but if Allaho turns up for the King George, then he will need to find improvement, and it’s not easy to envisage what Paul Nicholls can do to eke anything extra from his stable star.

DAN Skelton’s Proschema (Harry Skelton) was a good second to Indefatigable in the Grade 2 West Yorkshire Hurdle a year ago, but he turned the tables in no uncertain terms to win by 10 lengths from Thomas Darby (Olly Murphy/Aidan Coleman), another veteran of the 2021 contest.

With the well-backed Threeunderthrufive failing to have a cut at his hurdles, this didn’t develop into a true test at the trip, and the winner, who was held up for a late challenge, found everything falling right for him. Thomas Darby is talented, but lacks tactical pace these days, while Sporting John didn’t pick up after travelling well for much of the race.

It’s form which needs treating with a degree of caution, but a victory for the Skelton team in getting the best out of Proschema, who barely stays this trip, but had too much pace for his rivals in a race which didn’t fully test stamina.

MOLLY Olly’s Wishes (Dan/Harry Skelton), the mare named after the charity set up in memory of Molly Ollerenshaw, won the listed hurdle on this card for the second consecutive year, getting the better of a duel with Martello Sky (Lucy Wadham/Bryony Frost) by one and a quarter lengths after the latter had tried to take the race by the scruff of the neck at the top of the straight. The win was the first leg of a treble for the Skelton brothers on the card.

The 15/8 favourite stays three miles well enough to win the Grade 2 Warfield Mares’ Hurdle at Ascot last season but is fully effective at two miles granted a test, and was typically courageous here, a testament to the young girl she is named after, who did so much to help children with cancer despite succumbing herself at the tender age of eight.

Ascot Saturday

THE three-mile Bateaux London Gold Cup saw stamina come to the fore as Sam Thomas’s 11/2 chance Our Power (Charlie Deutsch) overhauled the strong-travelling Danny Kirwan (Paul Nicholls/Lorcan Williams) after the last fence to gain a two-length win which had looked unlikely when the runner-up led travelling strongly entering the home straight.

He still looked the likeliest winner approaching the last, but his stride shortened on the run-in, and he had nothing to offer when challenged by Our Power, who kept on dourly having failed to find an extra gear when first asked by his rider.

Tea Clipper (Tom Lacey/Stan Sheppard) was half a length behind Danny Kirwan in third.

In the picture

The seven-year-old winner has been raised 5lb to 141 for this success, which puts him in the picture for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, and while more will be required there, the three-week gap gives him ample time to recover from this career-best performance.

Danny Kirwan is a good jumper and perfectly genuine, but he tends to do his running on the bridle and hasn’t always seen his race out after racing with enthusiasm. The handicapper has put him up another 3lb for this defeat, and that makes life harder. The Peter O’Sullevan Memorial at Newbury might suit, with the intermediate two-and-three-quarter-mile trip looking the ideal test for him.

THE first of two premier handicaps over fences at Ascot on Saturday was the Byrne Group Chase over an extended two miles which went the way of the patiently-ridden Thyme White (Paul Nicholls).

The six-year-old gelding was nursed through the contest by Lorcan Williams, and made headway around the final turn, taking over from Frero Banbou (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch) between the final two fences before scoring by just under five lengths despite jinking and jumping left at the last. Before Midnight (Sam Thomas/Sam Twiston-Davies) ran well until tiring late, and was a creditable third, beaten by 11 lengths.

The 9/1 winner can be a tricky ride and once ducked out here last season, and the ride he got from Lorcan Williams was very clever.

Even then, however, he showed a quirk when finally seeing daylight at the last and is probably best covered up for a late run as a result. He missed Cheltenham in March due to the testing going, and his prospects depend as much on getting decent ground as what the handicapper does (raised 7lb for this).

The placed horses need no excuses, but likewise have few secrets from the handicapper, and perhaps Nassalam is the most interesting for next time, as he jumped out to his right for much of the race and is likely to be more effective back on a left-handed track.

Carlisle Sunday

THE Listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle on Sunday saw Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Beauport (Jordan Nailor) justify his position as 5/2 joint-favourite by producing an excellent display of jumping in beating Miller’s Bank (Alex Hales/Kielan Woods) by half a length.

The winner was in receipt of 10lb from the runner-up, who was closing all the way to the line, so that needs to be taken into consideration. However, it’s never an easy task for a chasing newcomer to tackle experienced rivals at this level, and Beauport looks a hugely promising recruit who will progress from this experience.