Ascot Saturday review and free video replays
Four tops
Blueking D'Oroux (4/1) was the third leg of a four-timer on the card for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden when winning the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle.
Having won the previous two races with Farnoge (see below) and Pic D'Orhy, a treble looked unlikely for much of the two mile three and a half furlongs but as his rivals flattered to deceive the four-year-old kept grinding away, beating the front-running Strong Leader by a length.
Blueking D'Oroux was ridden along from the top of the straight and the patiently ridden favourite Theatre Glory appeared to be going the better of the pair but her run petered out whereas Blueking D'Oroux, who had to be switched off the rail, responded willingly to his rider's urgings.
Blueking D'Oroux was stepping up in trip for the first time and left Cobden thinking of an ambitious tilt at the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
"Beforehand I was looking at it and I thought we definitely needed a career best to win today," he said, "but it wasn't the strongest ever renewal so you had to fancy him a bit and when Paul Nicholls lays one out for a race, he doesn't normally miss does he? So, a great bit of placing by the trainer.
Unlimited race replays of all UK & Irish racing
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
"I was always going half a stride faster than I wanted to, that was probably the ground; he feels to me like the further he goes the better he is. Just delighted with the horse, once he got there he toughed it out really well.
"He had a wind op and the rest is history, he hasn't stopped winning since. He's obviously improved every run. He's only a four-year-old and he's very tough.
"Me and Johnny (de la Hey, owner) were just talking there, would it be the boldest statement in the world to have a crack at the Stayers', it's probably not the strongest division we've ever seen. I know he's got to improve a lot but he's kept impressing us every run and in some respects surprising me. Where else do you go with him?
"He's going to be too highly rated to go in a handicap now. I presume four-year-olds with loads of weight in those good races at Cheltenham and Aintree probably have quite a poor record so maybe it is a Stayers' Hurdle route or something along those lines. I'm not by any means saying he's going to go there and set the world alight and win but you've got to go somewhere with him and he's just a likeable horse and I like the way he goes about his job."
Nicholls and Cobden only had four runners on the card and they also struck with the last of them when Regent's Stroll (7/4 favourite) made a winning debut in the Nirvana Spa Open National Hunt Flat Race.
The Walk In The Park gelding, from the family of Denman, was pushed hard by Tradecraft and the penalised Wellington Arch but knew enough to battle to a two and a half length success.
“I’ve got a nice novice hurdler next year,” said the winning rider.
“He’s a lovely horse and a little bit green throughout, but he powered through the line and it is always a good sign when you can’t pull one up isn’t it. He’s got everything. He’s got size, scope and I’ve already schooled him and he jumps great.
“It’s a big ask for an owner to spend £175,000 on a store horse and look at it for nearly two years, but he’s done everything right since day one this lad. He’s just a very uncomplicated and lovely horse.
“I think he’s in our top three bumper horses this year and he’s always been very smart.”
Unlimited race replays of all UK & Irish racing
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
Farnoge makes Ditcheat's top five
Farnoge (4/1) defied a market drift to make it two from two over hurdles in the Bet With Ascot Donation Box Scheme Novices' Hurdle.
Allowed an easy lead in a tightly grouped field, Cobden was in front at every post aboard the five-year-old who was carrying a penalty for last month's win at Newton Abbot. He was tracked by the well-backed Excello with Saladins Son and Leader In The Park in close attendance and there was little to choose between the quintet with two hurdles to jump in the extended two miles five furlong contest.
Cobden asked his mount to quicken having turned for home and Farnoge readily extended opening up a lead of several lengths. He got a little tired approaching the last and was allowed to drift across to the stands' side but ran on well with the rail to help, keeping up to his work to beat Leader In The Park by a little over two lengths.
Nicholls was winning the race for the second time in three years having struck with Flemenstide in 2021.
"I was slightly worried about the ground but he seemed to handle it well," Cobden told Sky Sports Racing.
"Jumped great, jumping is probably one of his main assets, and I wasn't sure how well I was going because I didn't know how good he was. I gave him a squeeze turning in and it felt to me like he shot clear of the rest and he just idled in front after the second last. A fair performance with a 5lb penalty.
"He thought he'd done the job and then he's sort of pulled up going to the last and I've had to get going again so he's obviously a very good horse. I can see him being a graded horse; I'll have to get home and chat to the boss and see what he thinks but he's very smart.
"He went to Newton Abbot when he was probably 75 to 80% fit and had a nice canter round there and he's done the same again today with some good horses in behind him so it's exciting. He would be right up there in the top five (novices at Ditcheat). One hundred per cent.”
Unlimited race replays of all UK & Irish racing
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
El Classico
Favourite backers were made to sweat by Chianti Classico (4/5 favourite) in the Royal Ascot Racing Club Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.
Three runners went to post for the three mile contest - an improvement on last season's walkover but the same number as contested the 2021 renewal - and they produced a good finish with Chianti Classico and Scrum Diddly matching strides for much of the home straight.
All three runners were novicey at their fences at times and David Bass pulled Chianti Classico quite wide when beginning his challenge; his mount produced big jumps at the last two obstacles but struggled to shake off the challenger, only asserting in the final yards with the winning margin three parts of a length.
The Kim Bailey-trained winner is now two from two over fences having made a winning reappearance at Chepstow last month.
Unlimited race replays of all UK & Irish racing
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
“That ground was probably quick enough for him and he was not enjoying the ground at all,” said Bailey of the winner who was having to concede over a stone in weight on the quickest ground he has encountered so far. .
“He has only run on softer ground so fingers crossed he is OK tomorrow. It’s a tough performance as he has given lumps of weight away on a day it hasn’t gone right for him. You can see he was landing and not very happy with it.
“His class got him through, definitely, he’s a decent animal. It was a big experience, last time we wanted to drop him right out and get his jumping right and today he couldn’t do it and couldn’t afford to get any further behind. He’s won well and at the end of the day he has won, that’s all that matters.”
Chianti Classico is part-owned by Sir Francis Brooke, His Majesty’s Representative and chairman of Ascot and a return to the track for the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase in the early part of next year could be the ideal opportunity for the gelding to test himself at Graded level.
“We’ll see how he is over the next week and he takes a lot out of himself in his races,” continued Bailey.
“He’s not a horse he can run in a hurry and it will be two months before he runs again whatever happens. That would be the ideal race for him and timewise that (the Reynoldstown) fits in very well.”
Game Midnight and Clarence House aim for Boothill
There was a thrilling finish to the Restorations UK Mares' Handicap Hurdle as Midnightreflection (11/2) got the better of a three-way tussle with Whitehotchillifili and Lassue.
Ridden by Charlie Case for his father Ben, Midnightreflection had finished second in the 2020 running and looked booked for minor honours again but the resolute mare put her head down once headed and battled back to win by a nose and three-quarters of a length.
Boothill (11/4 favourite) made it four from four in handicap chases when gaining his third course and distance success in the Jim Barry Hurst Park Handicap Chase.
Racing from a 6lb higher mark than when successful at the track last month, he proved a willing partner for Johnny Burke and held off Frere d'Armes by half a length but that doesn't tell the whole story as Saint Segal was in front and seemingly going well when brushing through the top of the last and losing his feet on landing.
A relieved Burke said: "I'm not saying he would have definitely won 'cos the other horse was in there pitching. He wasn't finished but David (Noonan) looked to be going a little bit better but to be fair my horse would have battled on all the way to the line; unfortunate for David and I hope they're okay.
"There was no rhythm really. It was a nice strong gallop but for some reason he just didn't jump with the fluency he has in the past. He loves it here.
"He had to give lumps of weight away and that's probably why things didn't go right. He's kind of forced his own hand into graded company so we're going to go and enjoy it now I think.
"It's been a long journey with him. He got lost a bit in the early part of his career. Ciara, Harry's (Fry, trainer) wife, has been a massive part of it; she had a horrible accident six weeks ago but she's recovering well and I know this will be a great tonic for her."
Victory delighted his trainer, who had suffered a narrow reversal with Whitehotchillifili in the previous contest, and Fry suggested Boothill will return to Ascot for the Grade One Clarence House Chase on January 20.
“Sometimes you have to get the rub of the green in this game, I’m just pleased to see the faller at the last get up,” said Fry.
“It was still all to play for and it just went our way. I was delighted with the performance and it was brilliant to come here and win this again, he really likes this track. It’s great to see him win it again and we may have got away with it, but it’s a great prize and it’s onwards and upwards.
“We have the entry in the Tingle Creek, but that is only in a fortnight’s time. I suspect we will wait and aim to come back here for the Clarence House and it will feel like a home match. I think he deserves his chance in these Graded races now. Obviously it is going to be a big step up again, but he deserves to go there.”
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org
