A SMALL field of five have been entered for this weekend’s feature race, Ascot’s Grade One Clarence House Chase (3.30pm), with Willie Mullins’ Il Etait Temps heading the betting.
He hasn’t been to Ascot before but judging by his recent performances at Sandown, last time when thumping Jonbon in the Grade One Tingle Creek, he will be very difficult to beat.
My eye was drawn to Gidleigh Park as an alternative after his good reappearance behind Jango Baie in November, but while he’s attractively priced, the fact there are only two places on offer limits appeal.
This race is fraught with danger from an ante-post perspective as supplementary entries are still open until today at noon, meaning the field could yet be added to, so for me it’s not a race to have a bet in.
Similar comments apply to the Grade Two Warfield Mares’ Hurdle (1.40pm) which is also still open for supplementary entries, and it’s a general theme of the weekend, which looks tricky from an ante-post betting perspective.
Ascot’s two-mile-five-furlong handicap chase (2.20pm) provides better prospects for a bet and the one I like the look of is ISSAM.
Tom Symonds’ eight-year-old returned this season with a decent win at Wetherby and then finished third behind Etalon over two-miles-three-furlongs at Ascot last time.
He looked to only be hitting top gear at the finish of that contest and this step up in trip looks worth exploring, especially on the softer ground expected this weekend.
Cut in the ground suits him and this extra distance could help unlock a bit more improvement to turn the form around with Etalon, who may have stamina concerns over this far.
It should be noted that Issam is also entered in the three-mile handicap chase earlier on Saturday’s Ascot card, but this race is far more valuable and it would be a surprise if it wasn’t first choice, so at 8/1 he’s worth chancing each-way.
Haydock also hosts a strong card on Saturday, featuring the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (2.00pm).
There have been some bold statements from connections of Konfusion recently, suggesting they were lining up a Gold Cup bid for their rapidly improving son of Schiaparelli and if those are to prove well-founded, he should win this race with a good deal in hand.
Staying chases at Haydock are not for the faint-hearted though and finding a horse with experience of this type of contest can be an advantage.
RICHMOND LAKE finished third in this race 12 months ago off a mark of 142 and is set to line up here off eight pounds lower.
The form of his third to Deep Cave at Bangor on reappearance is working out well, and he followed that with a game second over what was an inadequate trip at Aintree last time.
After those two good runs, connections look to have prepped him for a return to this race, and with conditions set to suit, he looks much too big a price at 25/1.
With there being relatively slim betting opportunities this weekend, I’m keen to look further ahead for more of a long range ante-post bet.
Newbury’s William Hill Hurdlein three week’s time looks the perfect spot for the improving ALL IN YOU, who was a smooth winner when last seen at Sandown.
A five-pound rise in the weights for that looks lenient and he strikes me as a horse that is some way ahead of the handicapper, so the 10/1 currently on offer is worth snapping up.
POINTERS SATURDAY/ANTE-POST
Richmond Lake e/w 2.00pm Haydock
Issam e/w 2.20pm Ascot
Ante-Post
All In You 10/1 e/w William Hill Hurdle, Newbury