Events / Graham Cunningham / 19 December 2008 /

A huge rank of big name Cheltenham contenders are lining up at Ascot on Saturday. Graham Cunningham gives you his views on a mouthwatering day at the Berkshire track.

They are billing this Saturday's card as the biggest day's jumping in the history of Ascot. And, for some of Britain's top owners, trainers and jockeys, it is even more than that.

Nicky Henderson's Christmas will take a distinct downturn if his posse of star hurdlers fail to deliver, while leading owner David Johnson is leaning heavily on Ashkazar to inject life into a stuttering campaign.

Add in AP McCoy and Ruby Walsh and you have all the ingredients of a pre-Christmas cracker. Racing UK analyst Graham Cunningham examines the big questions inside it.

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Which horses will be best suited to the Boylesports.com International Hurdle being switched from Cheltenham to Ascot?

Binocular is the obvious one. I would have been reluctant to take shortish odds about him had the race been run on very demanding ground at Cheltenham last weekend, but a sounder surface at Ascot should play firmly to his strengths.

Granted, ratings followers will tell you he has yet to prove himself against the best older hurdlers, but sometimes you have to opt for potential over proven form and Binocular's high cruising speed and slick hurdling suggest he is more than ready for a crack at the best.

Only a fool would dismiss a champion like Katchit, but Alan King's gelding looked laboured a long way out behind Chomba Womba at Wincanton and could find himself outspeeded again on a pace favouring track here.

Crack Away Jack has a fair chance of reversing Ascot form with Chomba Womba if he jumps more fluently, but Binocular's fast and flowing hurdling is a major asset and this looks the ideal stage for him to cement his Champion Hurdle credentials.

* * *

Henderson is double handed again in the Long Walk Hurdle. Stable jockey Barry Geraghty is on Punchestowns. But is he on the right one?

Sorry to be vague, but like Henderson I'm finding it very hard to split the pair. Punchestowns is the coming force in the staying division and made some good handicappers look second rate when bolting up off a mark of 139 at Cheltenham, while Duc de Regniere has been revitalised since returning to hurdles and sprinted away from a good field including Mobaasher, Pettifour and Blazing Bailey at Newbury on Hennessy day.

Duc de Regniere is worse off at the weights this time but is plainly a strong contender again, while Punchestowns ought to have no problem showing his form over this longer distance.

However, this is no two horse race. Blazing Bailey is much better than he showed at Newbury and will relish a stronger pace here, while Mobaasher travels very sweetly through his races and could trade very short in-running at some point.

In summary, this looks extremely complex. No bet could be the best solution, but if pushed I would suggest that Duc de Regniere to place could be the value bet.

* * *

Henderson saddles two more leading players in the Ladbroke in Aigle D'Or and Sentry Duty. Can Aigle D'Or reverse Cheltenham form with Numide? And what about Ashkazar?


The answer to the first question is yes. Perhaps I am biased after backing him at [8.0] for the Greatwood, but Aigle' D'Or left the strong impression that he would have won granted a stronger pace at Cheltenham and I suspect he will represent very solid win and place value again here having been raised a very reasonable 6lb.

Christmas 2008 will be a lot less memorable for David Johnson and David Pipe if Ashkazar fails to fire here. He was one of the most progressive juveniles around last season - and there was a lot to like about the way he kept battling once Crack Away Jack swept past him in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham - but he will have to put up a high-class performance to win this off an official mark of 147 first time out and I suspect he could drift in the market before the tapes go up.

The gamble on Exeter novice winner Belcantista has been one of the most intriguing features of the build-up to this £150,000 handicap, but the one who makes most appeal as a likely longshot is Khyber Kim.

Things didn't go according to plan when this gelding was with Henderson last season, but he caught the eye travelling very powerfully indeed for a long way in a useful handicap at Newbury on his debut for Nigel Twiston-Davies.

He is in deeper still here - and the handicapper has raised him 5lb - but Khyber Kim looked firmly back on track at Newbury and those who back him at [15.0] or bigger might well be able to trade out for a profit at much shorter in-running.

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