Weekend Preview: VC Chase the highlight on competitive Ascot card

Weekend Preview/Review / Timeform / 20 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Ascot stages the VC Chase on Saturday.

"The 2012 renewal of the VC Chase looks to be an exciting one, with improving pair Finian's Rainbow and Al Ferof looking to be the main contenders..."

This weekend sees a host of fascinating racing, with the Grade 1 VC Chase being the feature on Ascot's eight-race card whilst Haydock, Lingfield and Wincanton also stage some intriguing action...

The 2012 renewal of the VC Chase looks to be an exciting one, with improving pair Finian's Rainbow and Al Ferof looking to be the main contenders alongside the likes of Somersby, Gauvain and Forpadydeplasterer. The race could point the way to the Champion Chase and the Arkle, with Al Ferof still a novice, and more can be read on Ascot's feature event in our ante-post piece "VC Chase Betting: Al Ferof to master Ascot rivals".

Ascot's 14:05 is a Grade 2 hurdle over three miles for mares, and contains a number of interesting entrants. On her latest start, the Emma Lavelle-trained Kentford Grey Lady looked to be a horse very much going the right way and is likely to have loftier targets on her agenda come March. She can currently be backed at [22.0] for the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham, so it's expected she'll be performing well on Saturday, although the likes of Kaffie, Violin Davis and Our Girl Salley, currently available at [13.0] for the aforementioned race, are likely to provide some stiff competition.

Royal Charm was rather disappointing on his latest start, finishing last in a minor event at Exeter, but he reverts to hurdles in Ascot's 14:35 and his BHA rating of 145 ensures that he heads the weights. At the summit of the Timeform weight-adjusted rating for the race is A Bridge Too Far, who is 3 lb clear of both Ciceron and Shoreacres. In fact, there is not a great deal separating the top seven, so it is likely to be a competitive contest.

The handicap chase at 15:45 looks to be another competitive race, with just 9 lb separating the field on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings. Heading the list is Only Vintage and last season's winner Tatenen, whilst recent Ascot scorer Zaynar and the interesting Pearlysteps (first preferences at Haydock) also feature fairly prominently.

Haydock's two trial races, the 12:40 and the 13:45, have come up with a disappointing number of runners, and the Supreme Novices trial looks something of a match between Cinders and Ashes and Oscar Nominee, who was impressive on hurdling debut at Southwell earlier this month. Cinders and Ashes has considerably more experience, and is currently fourth best in the Supreme Novices' ante-post market, but it will be interesting to see how Oscar Nominee fares.

It will be surprising if any of the four runners in the Champion Hurdle trial were to go on and land the main event at Cheltenham, although Celestial Halo has finished both second and fourth in the race. He put up an excellent weight-carrying performance on his latest start at Newbury, and has a clear chance of winning once again on Timeform ratings.

A more competitive event is the Grade 2 Peter Marsh Chase, staged over three miles. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Crescent Island heads the weights, with 2009 Grand National winner Mon Mome next in. Others of interest would be the Paul Nicholls-trained Take the Breeze with Harry Derham taking off 7 lb, Rowland Meyrick winner According To Pete and Bold Ransom, who is 1 lb clear on Timeform ratings.

Haydock's concluding event, the Betfair Graduation Chase over two miles and five furlongs, sees French Grade 1 winner Halley make his third start for trainer Tom George, but he does so with some questions to answer. He made a laboured British debut at Cheltenham and followed that by unseating at the second at Wetherby late last month; he is still only five, so clearly has time to turn things around, and this could be a good opportunity for him to get back on track though.

Likely opposition will come from Mad Max, who will be making his first start for Neil Mulholland after leaving the Nicky Henderson yard. He reportedly has the Grand National as his target, but this will be just the third time he has tried a distance this far, let alone the four and a half miles of the Aintree showpiece.

As is the norm, Sunday takes on a much more leisurely pace with racing over jumps at Towcester and Market Rasen and on the all-weather at Kempton, but it is Fairyhouse that stages the most interesting race of the day.

The 13:50, a Grade 2 chase over two miles and a furlong, sees Tranquil Sea, Blazing Tempo and the Paul Nolan-trained Noble Prince take each other on. The latter currently heads the market for the Ryanair Chase, currently trading at [7.0], and he will need to produce a good performance if he is to maintain that standing with the likes of Rubi Light and Riverside Theatre snapping at his heels.

Tranquil Sea has been somewhat disappointing this season, winning on his reappearance but putting up two lacklustre efforts since, whereas Blazing Tempo has won her last two starts and looks likely to challenge Noble Prince, for all that she is probably not good enough to seriously threaten him.
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Last Saturday Timeform's TV Focus napped Lanzarote winner Swincombe Flame and advised Cruchain (won at Betfair SP of [24.67]). Click HERE to find out more.