Architect Tips runs the rule over this weekend’s racing action, with Fakir D’oudairies, Hillcrest and Porticello among those worth watching with an eye on Cheltenham.
With plenty of quality jumps action in store for viewers again on Saturday, the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase is the centrepiece at the Berkshire venue, with the Juvenile Hurdle, Albert Bartlett Trial and Grand National Trial at Haydock the pick of the supporting acts.
Fakir D’oudairies’ chance to shine without Allaho
Fakir D’oudairies will be looking to book his return ticket to the Cheltenham Festival this weekend with a big performance in Ascot’s main event. Last year's Ryanair Chase runner-up has seen the backend of Allaho twice this term since winning the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase on his reappearance but, without that rival in his way this weekend, trainer Joseph O’Brien will be hoping his star performer can land another big prize on British soil having won a Grade 1 at Aintree last year.
Currently 3/1 for the weekend’s highlight, if he can pass the test with flying colours his price tag for the Ryanair (best price 20/1) could shorten, so if you fancy him for Cheltenham - now is probably the best time to back him.
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He will, however, be taking on deep opposition this weekend including last year’s winner and course-specialist Dashel Drasher, who’s tough as old boots and will bid to defend his Grade 1 title.
Jeremy Scott’s high-class hurdler/chaser ran a belter to be beaten a short head by Two For Gold in the £150,000 Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield's Winter Million Festival last month, which will have put him spot on for this weekend’s feature. He is likely to get his favoured conditions in this event and the current 9/2 appeals about him with hardly any chinks in his armour.
If this admirable horse can run to the level he did 12 months ago, the Ryanair Chase might come under consideration, in which he’s best price 33/1. That is a huge price for a horse who’s already proven himself at the very highest level and his one-dimensional style of racing would certainly make him a difficult horse to pass around the undulations of Prestbury Park.
Other contenders include King George third Saint Calvados who could go close, former winner of the race Waiting Patiently, recent Grade 2 winner Mister Fisher, former Gold Cup third Lostintranslation and the gusty Kim Bailey-trained Two For Gold, who are all worth their place in the line-up. It undoubtedly has the makings to be an absolute belter live at (15.35pm).
Hillcrest targets return to winning ways at Haydock
Over at Haydock, Henry Daly’s Cheltenham Festival hopeful Hillcrest will be looking to get back on track with victory in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle (15.50pm).
A winner of his first three starts over hurdles, including when taking the scalp of I Am Maximus at Cheltenham, he was sent off a warm favourite for the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle trial but unseated his rider early on through no fault of his own when badly hampered at the third which led to him jinking right and throwing Richard Patrick out of the side door.
Things didn’t go to plan that day, but this should provide him the opportunity to put matters right before returning to the Cheltenham Festival next month with a good chance in either the Ballymore or Albert Bartlett (entered in both). He’s currently available at 16/1 for each of them at this stage and is likely to shorten if able to get back to winning ways this weekend.
He might have to overcome other notable improvers, though, such as Tom Lacey’s Scipion - who ran a blinder to finish third in the Grade 2 Ballymore Leamington Novices' Hurdle behind Stag Horn at Warwick and is open to considerable improvement on just his third career start with this track likely to suit him better. He might not have the same gears as the favourite, but he deserves to take his chance and therefore cannot be discounted.
Final prep run for Porticello
Gary Moore’s Porticello, currently a best price 16/1 for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, will be looking to pass his final prep run with flying colours in the William Hill Super Odds Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle (13.30pm).
A winner of three of his four starts over hurdles, including when he took the Grade 1 Finale Hurdle at Chepstow last time, he is likely to be a heavy favourite this weekend, but I don’t want to be against him here. This doesn’t look a strong race for the grade, and he should win this en route to having a strong chance in Friday’s opener at the Cheltenham Festival.
Grand National stepping stone for Secret Reprieve
Last year's Grand National Trial winner Lord Du Mesnil and three-time Betfair Chase hero Bristol De Mai head the weights for this year’s renewal (14.40pm) but it’s Evan Williams’ Secret Reprieve who’s the current favourite for the extended 3m4f Grade Three feature.
This race will provide plenty of clues ahead of the big one in Liverpool and the favourite who missed the cut for the Aintree highlight last year could use Saturday's Trial as a stepping stone to the world's greatest steeplechase. However, he looked a bit laboured when fourth in his bid to become a back-to-back winner of the Welsh National last time and needs to get back on track.
A general 4/1 chance for Saturday's Haydock contest and 25/1 with Paddy Power, Betfair and Unibet for the Grand National, he’ll need to go very well here if he’s to cement himself as a leading fancy for the Grand National, where his trainer has a phenomenal place strike-rate in the main event.
Other notable entrants include Sam Brown, runner-up in the Peter Marsh at this track last time, alongside course winner Enqarde, Midlands National winner Time To Get Up, Henry Daly’s Fortescue and the revitalised Blaklion, who’s generally available for 10/1 this weekend, and was mightily impressive over course-and-distance last time, winning by 28 lengths under a motionless Harry Skelton with the remainder strung out like washing.
Despite his advancing years, the veteran has looked on really good terms with himself under the assistance of Dan Skelton and ran a blinder to finish sixth in last year’s Grand National, astonishingly four years on from his fourth place effort in the 2017 edition of the event.
He has looked a non-stayer on both times he’s completed the course having jumped and travelled well, but now he’s older his stamina might last a tad longer with a bit of luck in-running. If he can win this weekend’s trial, he could enter the reckoning for the main dish in April (no price for him as of yet) in what would be his fourth attempt at the race.
