Rory Delargy

ASCOT SATURDAY

2:40 CORAL HURDLE (Grade 2) 2M 3F 58Y

Alan King is said to be using this race as a guide to where Yanworth should head in the long term, and the son of Norse Dancer is around fifth best in the ante-post market for the Champion Hurdle as I write. An impressive win here will push him up the pecking order, and for what it’s worth, I feel he’s more likely to show further improvement at trips short of three miles given he’s not looked short of pace over hurdles to date. In saying that, he has no simple task here, and will have to improve to beat the more experienced pair Zarkandar and Garde La Victoire, and in receipt of weight from the favourite, the former is given the nod at an attractive price. Zarkandar has had his problems in the past couple of years, but retains all his prodigious ability judging by how he travelled at Aintree on his belated return, and he looked set to score when blundering away his rider at the final flight. It’s very likely that Yanworth will have more to offer in his second season, but he’s well found at around even money, and can be opposed purely on value grounds.

3:15 SHAWBROOK HANDICAP CHASE 2M 192Y

Dresden did us a favour when winning this very valuable chase a year ago, but he’s hard to fancy in a repeat bid having been well held on both starts this autumn, looking less than enthusiastic in the process. Third that day was Cold March, who had won the Listed Byrne Group Chase on his return from an absence on his previous start, and that illustrates the best approach to backing horses trained by Venetia Williams.

Following all Venetia’s runners returning from a summer break in November has paid spectacular dividends in recent seasons, with no fewer than 25 of the yard’s 74 runners in handicap chases having won after an absence of five months or more, and those figures represent the month of November in 2013-2015 alone; backing them blind at SP has yielded a massive profit of £1,118.80 to a £10 stake, and bigger returns are obtained by taking best price in the morning. Vaniteux is another who merits a mention, and Nicky Henderson’s second-season chaser was brilliant at times as a novice, especially on his debut when jumping magnificently. He’d have finished second in the Arkle but for falling, and didn’t stay on his final start having travelled best of all. Fitness is not a worry, and he merits star billing ahead of Sire e Grugy.

HAYDOCK SATURDAY

1:15 CASH OUT IN RUNNING WITH BETFAIR HANDICAP CHASE 3M 4F 97Y

Given earlier comments about Venetia Williams, it would be remiss not to mention Rigadin De Beauchene, and he will certainly be suited by a slog here , so needs consideration, as does Wood Yer, who goes very well fresh and has won his last two starts after a lengthy break,but preference is for Mysteree who was a good fourth in the Eider last winter for Lucinda Russell and has now joined Michael Scudamore. Cobajayisland is another who has made the same trip south for owner Lynne MacLennan, and that one was successful at the first time of asking for his new yard, which augurs well for Mysteree. The eight-year-old gelding is best suited by plenty of ease underfoot, and clearly stays very well, so gets the vote in a race where most of his rivals are much more exposed than he is.

2:25 BETFAIR EXCHANGE “FIXED BRUSH” HANDICAP HURDLE (Grade 3) 2M 6F 177Y

Western Cape would have been the choice for this on better ground, but he’s twice been found out by testing ground, and will have more suitable openings. Yala Enki shaped very well in this last year, and has every chance of getting his reward for that effort, but a chance is taken on the fitness of Theo’s Charm, who is proven on the ground, and figures on a workable mark based on his form early last season. He didn’t look the most straightforward on his final start of the season at Cheltenham, but the fact that he was able to get into contention after a very tardy start merely underlines what a talented performer he is.

A smart bumper performer in his time, he has often shaped as if stamina is his long suit, but has had only one try beyond two miles, and remains unexposed given a test over hurdles. Nick Gifford is not the most prolific of trainers,with only six runners under National Hunt rules since the start of June, but it’s encouraging that two of those have won, the second as recently as Monday.

3:00 BETFAIR CHASE (Grade 1) 3M 24Y

This is a fascinating renewal, because of the potential clash between Cue Card and Coneygree, and while I don’t subscribe to the view that Cue Card is on the downgrade based on his disappointing effort in the Charlie Hall, I am opposing him on the grounds that a peak-form Coneygree is just the better horse given a slog in heavy ground. Mark Bradstock’s Gold Cup hero has to prove that he’s fully recovered from a hock injury which prevented him from defending his crown in March, but the vibes from Letcombe Bassett have been positive, and he has the potential of even better to come, having raced only four times in total over fences. I hope that Cue Card can lay down a big challenge, although it’s a bit of a concern to hear Ruby Walsh point to the horse’s head carriage at Wetherby, which plants a small seed of doubt about the possibility of his wind becoming an issue again. I can’t have Irish Cavalier, who was left to pick up the pieces in the Charlie Hall, but Seeyouatmidnight will relish the ground, and is capable of picking up any crumbs left by the big two.

RECOMMENDED

COLD MARCH 3.15 Ascot - 2pts win @ 7/1 (general)

MYSTEREE 1.15 Haydock - 1pt win @ SP

THEO’S CHARM 2.25 Haydock - 1pt win @ 14/1 (general)

CONEYGREE 3.00 Haydock - 2pts win @ 2/1 (general)