The top three in the Betfair Ascot Chase are worth tracking for ante-post bets on the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase is the centrepiece of the action on Saturday in Berkshire, and while the number of participants for the race is once again relatively low, there is still strength in depth, with three Grade 1 winners set to go to post for the 2m5f contest.
For Architect’s Betfair Chase tips, click here.
With the Cheltenham Festival just around the corner, a few of this weekend’s runners in the feature race will be looking to finalise potential plans for next month’s four-day bonanza in the Cotswolds, or in other instances, be saved for Aintree’s Grand National meeting in April.
Ahoy Senor
Ryanair Chase Odds: 16/1
Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds: 50/1
It would be foolish to degrade this two-time Grade 1 winner, even after failing to complete two of his last three starts.
Recently, he took a step back in the right direction when showing a bit more spark when fourth in the Cotswold Chase last time out after being pulled up in the Coral Gold Cup and Charlie Hall Chase on his other starts this term. Despite his lack of consistency over the course of the last 12 months, he can never be ruled out.
With that in mind, this weekend is sure to determine whether connections try to avenge his late fall in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup when still running well before his departure, or instead, tackle the Ryanair Chase over a shorter distance at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
For all the best Cheltenham free bets, click here.
The 2m5f trip at Ascot will be the shortest trip Lucinda Russell’s high-class horse has tried since he won a 2m7½f Grade 2 novice chase at Newbury in November 2021.
While an equipment malfunction impeded his finishing effort slightly when last spotted, this will be an even tougher test, as he’s never won going right-handed.
His trainer has kept both Cheltenham options open, but bookmakers suspect the Ryanair Chase might be more suitable, given he’s 16/1, respectively, for that race, whereas for the Gold Cup, he is ranked as one of the outsiders at 50/1 (best price on bet365), with his chance seemingly disregarded.
If the nine-year-old can recapture the brilliance he showed as a novice chaser and wins this by doing handstands, I can see him tackling the Ryanair Chase, and his initial double-figure odds will evaporate.
If he gets outpaced and stays on well to finish in the frame, then the Gold Cup could be the better choice. It is hard to pinpoint which one he will go for, but a positive account of himself will no doubt give his chance next month a timely boost.
L’Homme Presse
Cheltenham Gold Cup Odds: 10/1
After the nine-year-old made a successful return to the track at last month’s Winter Million meeting when beating Protektorat in the Fleur De Lys Chase, connections of this former Cheltenham Festival winner will be using this weekend’s feature race at the Berkshire venue as a final prep before a potential tilt at next month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Given it’s his only entry at the Festival, a win would undoubtedly confirm his participation, and he’s generally available for the blue riband race at a best price of 10/1 on Betfred. With only Galopin Des Champs, Fastorslow and Shishkin ahead of him in the market, he remains one of the big hopefuls among the British-trained runners for the Gold Cup.
Venetia Williams' high-class chaser recorded back-to-back Grade One wins in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase when beating Pic D’Orhy and the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival when beating another rival, Ahoy Senor. As well as that, he produced a quality weight-carrying, winning performance in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle.
He looked as good as ever last time out and could be extremely hard to beat given that he’s beaten a few of these already and is the clear highest-rated runner in the field. The only concern would be the ground if it became testing, but otherwise, he’s the one to beat. His connections are relishing the challenge that awaits them at the Berkshire venue.
Pic D’Orhy
Ryanair Chase Odds: 33/1
While nothing is set in stone yet, and Paul Nicholls might well save him for Aintree’s Marsh Chase again, if Pic D’Orhy was to defeat his rivals this weekend, then connections will have to consider having a crack at the Ryanair Chase in what is an open-looking renewal compared to recent editions of the contest.
He is currently available at 33/1 on Unibet (significantly shorter elsewhere) and those odds will surely shorten if he can go one better than last year in the Ascot Chase.
An impressive 16-length winner over C&D on his return, he subsequently made Banbridge fight very hard at Kempton when second in the Silviniaco Conti Chase, having only just failed to concede 3Ib to the winner.
In essence, the latter is now the favourite for the Ryanair Chase, so the differential in odds between the two does seem too big, even with the likelihood that he’ll instead be saved for another trip to Aintree. Even so, he must be given a mention just in case this brilliant chaser does persuade the champion trainer to take up that alternative option.
Betfred
- Huge range of regular promotions
- 24/7 live chat service
- PickYourPunt builder for custom bets
