Weekend Runners / Timeform / 18 February 2011 / 2

After a high-profile winning double on Friday courtesy of old-stager Noland and young pretender Aiteen Thirtythree, the Ditcheat Express rolls on with a number of live chances at Ascot and Wincanton on Saturday...

Nicholls' first runner is Sonofvic (a brother to the yard's aforementioned exciting novice chaser, Aiteen Thirtythree), who goes in the opener at the Berkshire track. Joint-second on Timeform ratings behind only Synthe Davis, Sonofvic is one of several in the field with a Timeform 'p', indicating improvement to come, and the form of his impressive hurdling debut at Chepstow in November has been boosted by both Teaforthree and Awesome Freddie. This is a competitive novice hurdle, though, with Problema Tic and Tornado Bob also on their way to better things.

A small field but an intriguing race in prospect in the Reynoldstown at Ascot (13:50) with unbeaten chaser The Minack slightly edging Master of The Hall on Timeform ratings. The Minack has looked an assured jumper so far, two from two over fences, and has earned this crack at a higher class. The step up in trip here looks sure to suit as his dam won an Irish Grand National.

At the same venue, the 14:25 is a very tight handicap chase on ratings but one in which Breedsbreeze comes out on top.

The nine-year-old had been off for 22 months before two encouraging runs this season, the best of which was a half-length second to Tartak (runs in the Ascot Chase later on the card) in December. A generally sound jumper who will have no trouble with the trip or ground, Breedsbreeze is still relatively unexposed over fences, unlike his chief ratings rivals Burren Legend, Ogee and Carrickmines, and therefore must be one of Nicholls' best chances of the day.

A wide-margin winning pointer, Carlicue confirmed the promise of his hurdling debut when convincingly landing the odds in a Ffos Las maiden in January, positively ridden before forging clear close home, and he seeks to repeat the feat in Wincanton's 14:35. From a ratings point of view he has to step up on that bare form, but he certainly has the potential to do so and provide stiff competition for Vagrant Emperor, Boomtown Kat and Westlin' Winds.

Back at Ascot (15:00), the front-running Pride of Dulcote, popular with many for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after his triumphant return from 14 months off, faces his sternest task yet with five of his six rivals either equal or superior to him on Timeform ratings. However, he is the only runner with a 'p' and therefore he is very much the unknown quantity of the race.

This will be his first experience of top-class chase company so it will be intriguing to see how he fares with the likes of Riverside Theatre, Tartak and Gauvain in opposition. Suffice to say, if he emerges from this race victorious, he will come right into the reckoning as a genuine Gold Cup contender.

The following race is a competitive handicap hurdle, but Paul looks to have another good chance with Like Minded. Runner-up in a Grade 2 novice in December 2009, Like Minded understandably shaped as if in need of his first run since in the Lanzarote at Kempton in January, but it looked as though all his ability is still intact and a mark of 131 could yet prove very lenient.

The Kingwell Hurdle (15:45) at Wincanton features a very select cast, headed by Overturn, but it's a race in which every runner holds a realistic chance.

Silviniaco Conti, somewhat the forgotten horse of the Champion Hurdle, is closely followed by his keen-going stablemate Celestial Halo on Timeform figures, but looks the most likely of the two to trouble the aforementioned Overturn and Mille Chief, the latter looking a danger to all as a horse on the up.

Silviniaco Conti has been given a break since December and is still open to improvement, whereas the overriding impression with Celestial Halo is that he's vulnerable to very smart opposition these days.

Ascot's 16:05 looks a good opportunity for ex-French gelding Polisky to gain experience of British novice hurdling, but he has got masses on his plate with Sprinter Sacre in the field, for all that he is second-best on Timeform ratings. Granted, he's open to improvement, but so is Nicky Henderson's Supreme Novices' fancy who has barely come off the bridle in his two hurdle starts so far.

Wincanton's handicap chase at 16:15 brings together a number of regular winners, yet Timeform top rated is actually ex-French gelding Aerial, who has the added assistance of AP McCoy for his British debut and must be considered.

The final runner of the day is again at Wincanton (17:20) and we have another unknown quantity in the shape of French flat winner Jump City who faces a formidable opponent in compatriot Smad Place.

Want to get the Timeform Jury's views on all of Saturday's Channel 4 races? Then call TV Focus - find out more by clicking HERE.

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1. Anonymous | 18 February 2011

   What about Like Minded?

2. Peter L | 19 February 2011

   read the article !!

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