Betfair Ascot Chase: Timeform's runner-by-runner guide

Betfair Ascot Chase
15:35 Ascot, Saturday
Live on ITV

1. Bennys King (Dan Skelton/ Harry Skelton)
Goes well here and has been better than ever of late, winning a handicap here in December over a slightly shorter trip conceding weight to the other principals. Excellent length and a quarter second to Dashel Drasher in a C&D handicap last month but faces better rivals now.

2. Cyrname (Paul Nicholls/ Harry Cobden)
Top-class winner of this race in 2019 but fell heavily when a beaten in third in last year's renewal. Returned with a two-length win over Vinndication in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby before running poorly in the King George VI Chase at Kempton last time. Has bounced back before.

3. Dashel Drasher (Jeremy Scott/ Matt Griffiths)
Front-runner with a fine strike rate. Better than ever over this C&D of late, winning a three-runner graduation chase in December and following up in a handicap in January when holding on to beat Bennys King by a length and a quarter after a bold round of jumping. More needed up in grade.

4. Master Tommytucker (Paul Nicholls/ Daryl Jacob)
Front-runner with a tendency to belt the odd fence but that hasn't stopped him winning an intermediate chase at Huntingdon, graduation chase at Haydock and the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton this term, beating Clondaw Castle 12 lengths in the last-named contest. Danger if jumping holds together.

5. Riders Onthe Storm (Nigel Twiston-Davies)
Left clear of the only other finisher at the last when completing a hat-trick in this race last year. Hasn't shown the same form since and was last of three behind Master Tommytucker in the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton last time.