There’s a big afternoon of action in store at Ascot on Saturday as they host the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase, featuring the reigning Queen Mother Champion Chaser, Politologue, at 3.35pm.
The seven-race card at Ascot runs from 12.40pm-4.10pm and you can watch all the action unfold via live streaming when logged into MansionBet – alongside all Saturday’s UK and Irish racing.
Our tipster marks your card with selections for all of the Ascot action.
12.40 – bet365 Juvenile Hurdle (1m7½f)
The hurdling benchmark set by Blue Slate isn’t a high one and he’s flopped either side of a 50/1 Leicester win in November so this should go the way of one of the promising jumping debutants.
Tritonic (second over 1m2f on soft at the Royal Meeting here in June) sets the standard on Flat exploits but Stepney Causeway, Punctuation and VULCAN all have valid claims too. Twice a winner on soft/good to soft at Haydock in the autumn, the selection was bought for 170,000 gns subsequently and could make a winning start for the excellent Dr Richard Newland team.
Selection: Vulcan @ 4/1
1.15 – Matchbook Betting Podcast Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 2, 2m7½f)
2019 Grand National runner-up Magic Of Light is bidding for a three-peat in this contest and again arrives here after a Listed Mares’ Chase success at Newbury in December. Jessica Harrington’s charge may not have the answers for ROKSANA however. Dan Skelton’s mare was a ready winner against the boys in a Wetherby Grade 2 on comeback in October and has since finished an excellent clear third in the Grade 1 Long Walk here last month on heavy ground. A repeat of that run behind Paisley Park and Thyme Hill will make her very hard to topple.
Selection: Roksana @ 4/6
1.50 – Matchbook Better Way To Bet Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3, 2m3f)
Having bossed a C&D event from the front on his penultimate start, Danny Kirwan seemingly didn’t see out 3m at Cheltenham. He’s a big danger back around here at this distance. Paddys Motorbike faces a tougher challenge in his hat-trick bid, while Lightly Squeeze and Arrivederci are potential improvers. So too is BOTOX HAS for the in-form Gary Moore team. He didn’t build on his promising Newbury handicap debut here last month but the October Cheltenham winner might just be in need of this extended trip now and he’s a big price.
Selection: Botox Has @ 20/1
2.25 – Matchbook Best Odds Handicap Chase (3m)
De Forgotten One is enjoying a fine time of it since joining Richard Hobson and could be up to netting a third win of the season after showcasing his stamina in Cheltenham’s Cross Country race last month and scoring since at Catterick over shorter. Former C&D winner Townshend could stage a revival, while Crossley Tender is in excellent form lately. YALLTARI took a step in the right direction in a Welsh National Trial early last month (form well-advertised since in the real thing) and with conditions likely to suit, the Venetia Williams runner earns the call to build on that in a wide open contest.
Selection: Yalltari @ 5/1
3.00 – bet365 Handicap Chase (2m5f)
Bennys King thrives around here in the mud, while Wincanton winner Capeland isn’t too harshly treated up 4lb for a red-hot Paul Nicholls team and he’s got positive form on testing ground here. WINDSOR AVENUE was an excellent second behind Imperial Aura in the Colin Parker at Carlisle in November on his comeback and, after disappointing at Cheltenham next time, he finished third in Wetherby’s Rowland Meyrick (3m, soft) on Boxing Day off this mark. A stiff 2m5f around here could be just the tonic with champion jockey Brian Hughes back on board.
Selection: Windsor Avenue @ 15/2
3.35 – Matchbook Betting Exchange Clarence House Chase (Grade 1, 2m1f)
Politologue was majestic in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March, for all that it wasn’t a vintage renewal. Defi Du Seuil flopped in that race and did so again in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham in November, leaving last year’s winner with a massive cloud over him. Waiting Patiently ran a stormer to be second in the King George and the versatile sort can cope with this drop in distance, but he’s been rather fragile in the past and so there are risks until he repeats his Boxing Day effort.
Politologue was a good winner of his second Tingle Creek last month but, again, it wasn’t the strongest renewal. He’s the likeliest winner but FIRST FLOW might be the each-way play in a field of eight. He’s nothing but consistent and has won his last five chase starts, most recently a Wetherby handicap off 154 at Christmas. He might not be top drawer but a few of these have questions to answer and he could snare some place money.
Selection: First Flow @ 16/1
4.10 – Matchbook Betting Exchange British EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle (2m5½f)
Taking on the Nicholls/Cobden alliance in the final two races could be dangerous but that is the plan. Jeremy Pass won nicely at Wincanton (2m5½f, good to soft) on his hurdling bow in November – form that has been franked since – and is open to progress here. He might prefer a better surface than he will get after a full day of racing. VALLERES was turned over by a useful Ditcheat prospect in Threeunderthrufive on good ground at Ludlow after his own winning start at Wetherby, but Alan King’s runner has since finished second in a heavy-ground Sandown Grade 2 in December. He can get back to winning ways via this class-drop.
Selection: Valleres @ 9/4
*All odds correct at time of writing