ASCOT’S nine-race card, augmented by a couple of races carried over from Newbury the week before on account of Equine Influenza, was excellent almost from start to finish and could well end up having a major bearing on the Cheltenham Festival.

In addition to Cyrname, there was a really good Cheltenham Gold Cup trial from Clan Des Obeaux in the Betfair Denman Chase, and a major marker thrown down for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by Al Dancer in the Betfair Hurdle.

The former ran the near-three miles in a time 0.6s quicker than Calipto did (carrying 12lbs less) in winning the listed handicap chase and 2.5s quicker than Mister Malarky did (carrying 6lbs less) in winning the Reynoldstown Chase.

Those times and weights convert to timefigures of 157 for Clan Des Obeaux, 142 for Calipto and 140 for Mister Malarky, but sectional analysis shows the races were run in contrasting styles and that two of the winners require upgrades.

Clan Des Obeaux rattled home in 54.0s from three out (3.8f from the finish) and gets 169 on timefigure and sectional combined, Mister Malarky’s finish of 58.55s was slightly slower than par, as he picked off some who had done too much too soon, but he remains on 140, while Calipto (55.2s) was in between and gets lifted to 148 as a consequence.

good terms

Supporters of Clan Des Obeaux for the big one are entitled to be on good terms with themselves after this, for all that he had little to beat on the day, though he is one of several in the Cheltenham Gold Cup with timefigures/sectional ratings in the 162 to 170 range.

Without doing down the winner, the Reynoldstown might have had a different outcome with a less brutal early pace, third-placed Yalltari (led three out until approaching last) as promising as any.

Al Dancer goes to very near the top of the novice hurdling tree with his 147 timefigure – boosted to 150 on account of quite quick late sectionals – though his runaway win at Cheltenham before Christmas had flagged this as a distinct possibility.

He did this despite getting worked up beforehand and taking a fair grip in the race, and there is clearly a big engine there. Angels Breath (in the same ownership as Al Dancer) and Champ also have 150 figures on sectionals after I managed to crunch their past efforts in greater detail.

At a lesser level, Dashel Drasher (124), Brio Conti (136), Worthy Farm (120) and Silver Forever (98) were the other winners on the Ascot card.