Steve Ryder previews the Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle, looking at race trends, latest odds, and gives his prediction.
Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle
The Ascot Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle is a Grade 3 Handicap Hurdle run at Ascot over 1m7½f. This race will take place at 3:35 on Saturday 20th December this year.
Ascot Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle Winners, Trends & Stats
Not So Sleepy won this race twice in 2019 and 2020.
• 11 of the previous 12 winners had at least 5 runs over hurdles
• 10 of the previous 12 winners had at least 2 wins over 15-17f
• 9 of the previous 12 winners were rated 130 or higher
• 8 of the previous 12 winners were beaten last time out
• 8 of the previous 12 winners were aged between 5 and 7
• 7 of the previous 12 winners had at least 1 previous run at Ascot
Ascot Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle Runners Guide
ALEXEI
Progressive Joe Tizzard trained hurdler who won over this course and distance on his penultimate start prior to an impressive six length victory in the Greatwood Hurdle last time. That victory came off a mark of 134 and he will have to defy a rating of 147 in this race.
MONDO MAN
Gary & Josh Moore trained four-year-old who is a 105 rated flat horse who is 0-4 over hurdles in his career. He finished 2nd in a novice hurdle at Lingfield in November and now makes his handicap debut off a mark of 123.
WILFUL
Six-year-old who ended last season in good form winning at Ayr before finishing 2nd in a listed handicap hurdle at the Punchestown festival. He finished 3rd in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his reappearance and that race has worked out well since. He runs here off only a 1lb higher mark for the Jonjo & A J O’Neill stable.
FAIVOIR
Dan Skelton trained ten-year-old who won the 2023 County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He outran odds of 40/1 to finish 3rd in the Greatwood Hurdle under Heidi Palin off a mark of 134 and gets to run here off the same mark.
FIERCELY PROUD
Last year’s winner who beat Kabral Du Mathan by a short head off a mark of 128 before pulling up at both Newbury and Aintree on his next two starts. He looked outpaced when 5th in the Greatwood Hurdle on his reappearance this season and now runs off a mark of 135.
HELNWEIN
Alan King trained seven-year-old who finished 2nd in the Swinton Hurdle in May off a mark of 128 before finishing 2nd beaten 6 lengths by Alexei in the Greatwood Hurdle last time off a mark of 129. He runs here off a mark of 133 but was beaten at odds of 9/4, 6/5, 5/6, 13/8 and 4/5 last season.
Latest Ante-Post Odds
| Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle Winner | Best Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Mondo Man | 10/3 | William Hill |
| Alexei | 4/1 | William Hill |
| Wilful | 11/2 | Sky Bet |
| Fiercely Proud | 10/1 | bet365 |
| Helnwein | 12/1 | 888Sport |
Odds last updated 12:30, Tuesday 16th December.
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Ascot Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle Trainer & Jockeys To Watch
Nicky Henderson has won this race a record 5 times with Chauvinist (2002), Jack The Giant (2007), Sentry Duty (2008), Brain Power (2016) and Luccia (2023).
Harry Skelton has won this twice in recent years with Willow’s Saviour (2013) and Mohaayed (2018).
Betting Insights for the Ascot Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle
The form of the Jonjo & A J O’Neill stable is still a slight question mark but WILFUL (best priced at 11/2) looks to still be well handicapped off a mark of 135. The six-year-old raced too keenly over 2m3½f at this track in January when 4th beaten 6 lengths prior to winning at Ayr back down to 2 miles off a mark of 121.
Wilful was beaten less than a length when 2nd at Punchestown in a listed handicap hurdle on his final start last season before finishing 3rd in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his reappearance this season. The form of that race could hardly have worked out better with the winner Celtic Dino now rated 10lbs higher, the runner-up Alexei now rated 20lbs higher and the sixth Tutti Quanti now rated 6lbs higher. Running here off only a 1lb higher mark, Wilful still looks well handicapped and he should be involved in the finish of the race.
