Jake Price's Ante-Post Tips for Ascot and Wetherby

14:33 Ascot (Saturday) - LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Welp, here we go again. It stings having to go back in again for this Sodexo Regal Encore Handicap Chase because the race is infinitely winnable. Feeling sorry for ourselves aside, the horse to get on as a replacement here has got to be LEAVE OF ABSENCE, as if he is going to have his day in the sun, then this contest is surely going to be it.

I think the time to catch this Horse is fresh and on decent ground, and he has a very good record when returning from absences of 50+ days which reads 111221. Last season that return saw him win the 3m1f Novices' Chase at Cheltenham under a penalty, and despite a few omitted fences he still stayed on strongly to beat Pied Piper (145) who was certainly trying to win the race for Gordon Elliott.

I can forgive his pulled up effort at Cheltenham in November because it came on Soft ground in a day where it biblically rained, but the race that gives you real hope that he can land this Sodexo contest was his effort in the Premier Silver Cup Handicap Chase at Ascot last December - where the ground came up much more on his favour, and he ran a belter to lead right up until the post, where he was agonisingly collared by Deep Cave (138). The form looks strong mind, with the third placed Johnnywho (150) going on to land the Ultima and finish fourth in the Grand National subsequently.

At this point LEAVE OF ABSENCE had reached an official rating of 146 and was somewhat stuck between a rock and a hard place in terms of where to go, but connection gave him a chance in the Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury, and he ran with credit in third despite the ground and conditions of the race being against him. It teed him up for a crack at the Ultima at Cheltenham in March however, and plenty were big fans of his chances from an Ante-Post perspective. Unfortunately he lost his position and made a few mistakes, but to still be able to place in fifth place was a grand effort, and therefore returning to a weaker contest should see him have a much better chance of winning.

I'd be happy to put a line through his Aintree effort at the end of last season where I think he was just over the top by that stage, but the handicapper has been very generous by dropping him 3lbs in the weights to a rating of 142. That means he is 3lbs lower than his previous fantastic effort at Ascot, and the quicker ground at that track this weekend should be right up his street. Anthony Honeyball hasn't had many runners lately but is currently two from three in the past 14 days, and surely he will have this lad revved up to try and land this target first time up.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE 1pt EW (3 Places, ¼ Odds) @ 8/1

15:30 Wetherby, Saturday - MANUELITO

My other Ante-Post bet at this stage comes in the 0-130 Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby on Saturday, which sees plenty of questionable characters entered. The likes of Race To Base, Babs, Gower Prince, Liberty Coach, Fasol, Secret Vino and Gentleman Bill all have multiple options this weekend so the race is likely to cut up a fair amount, but this is the only option for MANUELITO who is a Horse I really like.

This Philip Hobbs & Johnson White 6yo won on seasonal reappearance for the yard this time last year at Newton Abbot, and it was a very smart performance that day to beat the well-fancied Dance And Glance by a comfortable 4 lengths. Considering that day our selection was having to give the Anthony Honeyball Horse 9lbs at the weights and that rival has since improved 11lbs himself having won twice since though, it really looks like a smart piece of form that suggests he has plenty more to give.

That first opportunity to show what more he has in the locker came at Ascot in November last year, and he was still going strongly out in front when falling heavily at the fourth flight. That crashing fall unfortunately saw him pick up an injury to his hind leg, and it ultimately forced him to miss the remainder of the season. Considering he was sent off a 3/1 shot to win that contest the market clearly believes he has more to come however, and I am certainly backing that theory at Wetherby on Saturday in what is a much weaker contest.

Having been off the track for a year then handicapper has decided to drop MANUELITO 1lb down to a mark of 129, and that means he is only rated 4lbs higher than that Newton Abbot success which makes him look so well treated. Providing he is over the injury and is fit to go first time up then he could take a bit of beating here despite carrying top weight, as I simply don't think there is much in this race outside of perhaps Race To Base (who may go to Ascot) who has the same sort of ability. Ben Jones is already jocked up for the ride, and his preference for better ground will be satisfied at Wetherby this weekend.

MANUELITO 1pt EW (3 Places, ¼ Odds) @ 10/1