Timeform Weekend Preview: All eyes on Ascot

Weekend Preview / Timeform / 19 December 2008 / Leave a Comment

Timeform go through the highlights to come on a superb weekend of jumps action.

The final weekend before Christmas sees some truly top-class action from Ascot, where an already stellar card has been further bolsetered by the salvaged International Hurdle (see "Race Preview").

There, four Champion Hurdle hopefuls, including ante-post favourite Binocular, as well as reigning champ Katchit will be bidding to strenghten their claims for glory at Cheltenham in March.

A more traditional feature of this card is the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle, where Binocular's trainer Nicky Henderson also holds a strong hand with both Duc de Regniere and Punchestowns. The former won the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last time, beating Mobasheer and Pettifour, both of whom re-oppose here. Punchestowns announced his arrival on the World Hurdle scene when scoring comfortably at Cheltenhams' Open meeting, with runner-up Ballydub showing on his next start that he also had a significant amount in hand of his official rating.

The last of the more prestigious events on the card is the valuable Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle, where Imperial Cup winner Ashkazar will be looking to make a winning start on his way to a tilt at the Champion Hurdle in the spring. It will be anything but a simple task, however, with Greatwood Hurdle first and second Numide and Aigle D'Or lining up, whilst Sentry Duty will be looking to follow up his success in a similar event at this course in November. Last year's runner-up Alsadaa lines up again, but given that all of his best form is on ground firmer than good he is unlikely to be best suited by conditions here.

Haydock stages the Tommy Whittle Chase as it's feature, the race last year proving to be a good pointer to the Grand National as eventual Aintree joint-favourites Cloudy Lane and Comply Or Die filled the first two places. There would not appear to be quite so obviously unexposed contenders this year, with the likes of Idle Talk, Petite Margot and 11-year-old D'Argent in the line-up, though The Sawyer and Atouchbetweenacara both look to be on attractive marks, the latter set to make just his fifth start over fences. Newcastle also race, where the Northumberland Chase is the feature handicap. Tom George's novice Kilcrea Asla has been in good form of late and still has what looks to be a workable handicap mark.

Sunday's action is fairly quiet, with Carlisle staging the sole National Hunt meeting in Britain. There is listed action in Ireland however, with the Horse And Jockey Hotel Hurdle having attracted the promising Solwhit, a late defector from the International Hurdle. He shapes as though he is open to considerable improvement and it will be interesting to see just how much more Charles Byrnes' gelding has to offer.