Ascot Saturday

Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1)

THE Grade 1 Ascot Chase looked an intriguing clash between a trio of talented runners, but Harry Cobden’s decision to send Pic D’Orhy (Paul Nicholls) into a clear lead from the start seemed to catch his rivals unawares.

Jumping better than the chasing L’Homme Presse (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch) he soon held a commanding advantage, and while that was reduced on the home turn, he had no trouble repelling L’Homme Presse and the patiently ridden Ahoy Senor (Lucinda Russell/Derek Fox) to win by five and a half lengths and four lengths, to go one better than he had in the race 12 months earlier.

Cobden hadn’t originally intended to make the running on the 13/8 shot, assuming that either Ahoy Senor or L’Homme Presse – both of whom were stepping back from three miles plus – would be ridden aggressively to offset the shorter trip.

When it became clear that neither Fox nor Deutsch intended to take the bull by the horns, however, he quickly enacted Plan B, and that proved a great advantage on the day, especially as L’Homme Presse seemed reluctant to go long at his fences, shortening up and adjusting to his left as is his habit, and that allowed Pic D’Orhy to gain a length or so at almost every fence.

Closer tabs

Charlie Deutsch would clearly have preferred to have kept closer tabs on the winner, but he had to niggle his mount to maintain a respectable margin, while Derek Fox was in no hurry to ask for an effort on Ahoy Senor, with whom connections seem to be experimenting tactically.

Nicholls said: “At that trip today, it was a fantastic ride from Harry, we were always going to be positive. I don’t know why after all his races, but he seems to be improving – today was the best I’ve ever seen him look and probably the best he’s ever run.

“To put good horses in their place like that was fantastic. The stiffer track probably suited him and last time at Kempton he was giving 3lb to a very good horse in Banbridge, but this track seems to bring out the best of him, he stays strong over that trip.

“It was a fantastic ride and that is why Harry is vying to be champion, he’s riding like a champion jockey. I suspect now we will go straight to Aintree.”

HENRY’S Friend (Ben Pauling/Ben Jones) had stamina to prove but did so in gritty style as he outbattled Kilbeg King (Anthony Honeyball/Sam Twiston-Davies) to land the Grade 2 Sodexo Live! Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase.

A winner in handicap company on his previous start at Hereford, Henry’s Friend was stepping up in both trip and class, but showed improved form to prevail by a head, with favourite Apple Away (Lucinda Russell/Derek Fox) two and a- half lengths further back in third.

The winner - a 13/2 chance - was completing a hat-trick of wins over fences and was wearing cheekpieces for the first time. His win was the middle leg of a treble for trainer and jockey on the card with Pic Roc taking the opening novice hurdle and Honor Grey successful in the three-mile handicap hurdle, defying a lengthy absence in the process.

The day really should have been even better for the pair as Bad looked sure to score in the feature Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Handicap Hurdle but despite leading travelling best between the last two flights, the French import was worried out of it by Mothill (Neil Mulholland/Joe Anderson), who raced freely on the front end, but proved most determined when headed and fought back for a head win.

The firms cut the price of Henry’s Friend for the National Hunt Chase, but Pauling is inclined to give his gelding a break after what was a tough race, for all he believes that stamina isn’t a concern.

“He didn’t jump well enough early doors and it was fortunate for him they didn’t go much of a gallop,” he said. “I thought they would go a right gallop, and if they had done, he wouldn’t have been in it, but he was brave from the back of the last and his jumping got better.

“I thought he was well handicapped, but I just thought he would be better off in a smaller field. I’m thrilled, because he had to improve, and he has.

“Stamina would never be a worry for me with this lad but while he’s got an entry at Cheltenham in the amateur chase, I doubt he wants to go there after that; that looked a bit of a ding-dong and to go there so quickly might be stupid.”

Haydock Saturday

Jamie announced his decision to quit just a couple of days before this fixture, but with Quinn, Niall Houlihan and David Noonan all stepping up successfully to the plate in recent times, the Lower Beeding trainer has no shortage of capable jockeys to call upon.

Quinn was aboard Botox Has when winning the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby in November and while let down by his jumping on both starts since, the 5/2 second favourite kept the mistakes to a minimum this time and ran out a comfortable nine-length winner over market rival Butch (Olly Murphy/Sean Bowen). The winner could head to the Stayers’ Hurdle next.

Victor Ludorum

Moore and Quinn also landed the Victor Ludorum for juveniles with Salver, who followed up his impressive Finesse Hurdle win with a comfortable three and a- half length win over Castelfort, although not without raising concerns regarding his own jumping.

The half-brother to Morgiana Hurdle winner Saldier again displayed a powerful engine and an ability to cope with heavy ground, but several mistakes on the way round were a concern, and his jumping would be a concern if he went to Cheltenham for the Triumph Hurdle.

Silverware for Cromwell

Cromwell’s invading force used to spread terror in Ireland, but these days it’s Gavin Cromwell’s raiding parties which are causing a great deal of unrest in Britain, and the Meath man saddled his 10th winner from 43 British runners this season courtesy of the win of Yeah Man (Sean Flanagan) in Haydock’s Grand National Trial.

Yeah Man was given an excellent ride by Flanagan on his first Haydock ride, tracing the leaders and getting his mount jumping well as others made mistakes.

It looked like the strong-travelling My Silver Lining (Emma Lavelle/James Banks) would win jumping the last, but Flanagan was still holding on to plenty, and he produced Yeah Man to lead on the run-in for a length-and-a-half success over the game runner-up.

The winner will bypass Cheltenham to be aimed at the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

You can’t keep a good man down, and not long after his win in the big chase of the day, Gavin Cromwell gained win number 11 of the British season with Now Is The Hour, who gave the trainer and jockey a double in the Grade 2 Prestige Novices’ Hurdle.

Unplaced on his first two starts over hurdles, Now Is The Hour has improved on heavy ground in recent weeks, and was adding to a maiden hurdle win at Fairyhouse in January with a 17-length rout of some weary rivals in conditions the son of Westerner seemed to relish, and the importance of deep ground was reiterated by the winning jockey after the race.