Grade 1 jumps action comes from Berkshire on Saturday afternoon as Ascot hosts the Betfair Ascot Chase card.
The 2m5f contest has been won by the likes of Kauto Star, Voy Por Ustedes, Cue Card, Silviniaco Conti, Cyrname, Fakir D'oudairies and Shishkin in recent times, with last year's champ, Pic D'orhy, back to defend the crown now as Paul Nicholls seeks a record-extending sixth win.
Enda McElhinney previews the big race at Ascot alongside some of the supporting events, with racing from 13:15-16:45 and conditions forecast as 'good to soft'.
15:37 - Betfair Ascot Chase (Grade 1, 2m5f)
Last year's winner Pic D'orhy is back for another tilt at this race and the Paul Nicholls inmate boasts Ascot figures of 12111 since late 2021.
His only reverse in that sequence came behind Shishkin in this race in 2023 and he most recently won the Grade 2 1965 Chase here in November when giving a 6lb penalty to his rivals and once again making all with a bold jumping display in front.
He beat L'homme Presse by more than five-lengths 12 months ago and Venetia Williams' charge is also back to renew hostilities. He too is a course-and-distance winner in the past but does have a preference for going left-handed.
He was third in the King George on Boxing Day and has since won the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Trials Day. He arrives in good order and while he stays much further, he does possess a strong level of form at this intermediate trip.
Just six go to post, with Le Patron for Gary & Josh Moore and Flegmatik for Dan Skelton looking up against it, but the presence of Irish raiders Blue Lord and CORBETTS CROSS make this the strongest renewal in a while.
Willie Mullins sends over Blue Lord, a Grade 1 winner over 2m1f at Leopardstown in December 2023, but he has looked well below his best in the Hilly Way at Cork and then back at Leopardstown for that same Paddy's Reward Club Chase over Christmas. He appears to be on the decline.
However, the same cannot be said for the eight-year-old Corbetts Cross, who represents Emmet Mullins in the JP McManus silks with Mark Walsh travelling across for the ride.
He has largely been campaigned over further as a chaser and won the National Hunt Cup at Cheltenham last season over 3m6f before placing third behind Gerri Colombe in the Aintree Bowl over 3m1f.
He was well held in the King George at Kempton when last spotted but Ascot seems much more likely to play to his strengths than the Sunbury venue did.
He is a graded winner over hurdles at the minimum trip and, as long as Pic D'orhy isn't allowed to set a stop-start pace in front, this test should shape up nicely for the top-rated horse in the field.
SELECTION: CORBETTS CROSS
NEXT BEST: PIC D'ORHY
13:50 - Reynoldstown Novices' Chase (Grade 2, 3m)
JINGKO BLUE maintained his unbeaten record over fences when stepping up to this trip to win the Grade 2 Hampton Novices' Chase at Windsor last month and Nicky Henderson's rising star can maintain his superiority over the runner-up, Lowry's Bar, now.
There were just over two lengths between them at the line that afternoon but once Lowry's Bar made a mistake at the third last fence, Nico de Boinville was merely cajoling his partner home to score. Jingko Blue carries a 5lb penalty for that success but the Seven Barrows inmate remains with plenty of scope for better in this sphere and should remain unbowed over fences.
This course and distance will further test the stamina of Lowry's Bar and his jumping will need to hold up in the second half of the contest.
Peaky Boy has departed Henderson's yard since his Cheltenham third over 3m1½f in December and is now with Jonjo & AJ O'Neill. He's another with scope for progress as a novice over these obstacles and shouldn't be discounted.
The Changing Man is a thoroughly likeable sort who should run well but he finds winning tough. He has been second in a trio of major handicaps at Newcastle, here and Doncaster recently and his record now shows just three wins in 22 career starts, while he's finished second on nine occasions.
Leave Of Absence is untested over this far and was second of two finishers on his chasing bow at Kempton in November. Anthony Honeyball's charge is up against it on paper.
SELECTION: JINGO BLUE
NEXT BEST: PEAKY BOY
15:00 - Swinley Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap, 3m)
This is a competitive contest with north of £56k to be had for winning connections.
Threeunderthrufive took out the prize a year ago for Nicholls and Harry Cobden despite being top weight. He's rated only 1lb higher now and once more has the heftiest burden in what looks a deeper race.
He was only third last time, though, as old foe Victtorino won the Howden Silver Cup over C&D in December for Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch. The pair are 5lb closer on ratings now as Williams’ charge bids to atone for finishing fourth as favourite in this race a year ago. Victtorino has shown improved form in his two runs this season and the seven-year-old should be high on any list for this.
Terresita produced a career-best when scoring over 2m5f here last month but Lucy Wadham's mare has a 6lb hike and a stamina question to answer now.
If there is one who could still be well ahead of the assessor then surely it is HASTHING for Jonjo & AJ O'Neill. Two-miles around Chepstow on his chasing bow in November was scarcely adequate and he's 2-2 since at Windsor over 2m4f/2m6f.
Last time, he looked a beaten docket as favourite when he met trouble and got outpaced after jumping what should have been four out, and he was seemingly in trouble on the home bend before staying out stoutly for Jonjo Jr to win going away.
This is a significant jump in class for him but he remains very low-mileage and a mark of 133 is far from prohibitive. This test of stamina promises to suit and if his jumping continues to improve he could be the one to beat again.
SELECTION: HASTHING
NEXT BEST: THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE
