Saturday updates: owner's second-string punted in big betting race at Haydock, ground warning at Ascot following frost
Crambo is poised to start favourite in the Jared Sullivan silks for the day's big betting heat, the Betfair-sponsored 3m½f handicap hurdle (2.20), but all the rage on Saturday morning was for another of the owner's horses.
Punters have been latching on to Sholokjack, who has halved to 20-1 already on the day of the race for Sullivan. The Dan Skelton-trained runner is 2-3 over hurdles and reverts to the smaller obstacles after falling in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices' Chase, won by Gold Cup hope Gerri Colombe, when last seen in April.
His trainer pulled off a surprise winner in this £125,000 contest in 2015 with Baradari, who was also making his seasonal bow.
Support comes on a big day for team Skelton with Protektorat also bidding to defend his Betfair Chase (3.00) crown against Bravemansgame.
Last season's 11-length winner is 9-4 (from 5-2) with Paddy Power to make a winning return on his first start since finishing fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
The runner-up that day, Bravemansgame, is odds-on to strike for Nicholls, with Daryl Jacob taking over riding duties with stable jockey Harry Cobden at Ascot.
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “Bravemansgame and Shishkin are two odds-on favourites at separate ends of the country, but I suppose the story at the moment is that punters are taking them on with Protektorat, who has had a wind operation, and Old Roan Chase runner-up Minella Drama respectively.”
Updated at 10am
Tacky ground warning at Ascot
The ground remained good at Ascot on Saturday morning but clerk of the course Chris Stickels warned frost could leave the racing surface a bit tacky.
Temperatures dropped close to -2C overnight and a covering of grass frost is only anticipated to lift at 11am. It comes following a dry week at the Berkshire track where racing on Friday was also held on good ground.
Stickels said: "We dropped down to -1.8C last night and it's -1C at the moment. We've got a grass frost but it hasn't got into the ground.
"The going remains good, as it was last night, but we'll see how the frost comes out. Normally when it comes out it can make the ground a bit tacky and that's what I'm expecting.
"It's been dry this week and we've only had 8mm of rain in the last seven days with most of that coming last weekend."
The Betfair Chase, the first domestic Grade 1 of the season, will be staged on ground described as soft, good to soft in places at Haydock.
Conditions in Lancashire also remained the same overnight with the hurdles track good to soft, soft in places ahead of Saturday's blockbuster card.
"It's been dry overnight and we've got a slight frost," said clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright. "The ground on both tracks has stayed the same and, as we've moved the rail to the innermost [position], it hasn't had a horse on it since March. It couldn't be in a better place.
"We're in for a dry, bright day and temperatures should get up to 7C."
There is also top-level action at Punchestown where the ground is soft, soft to heavy in places on the hurdles track and soft to heavy on the chase course.
Updated at 10am
Non-runners
Ascot
3.50
5 Shy Love (not eaten up)
Haydock
2.20
11 Carbon King (temperature)
3.35
8 Coconut Splash (temperature)
Posted at 10am
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