YOU have the usual mix of progressive four-year-olds and five-year-olds, and proven hardened handicappers coming together again in the Schweppes Victoria Cup at Ascot this afternoon.

Top of the list of the latter group is Metal Merchant, for whom Ascot and fast ground is ideal, and who is probably just a little better over seven furlongs than he is over a mile.

Some of the best runs of Metal Merchant’s life have been on Ascot’s straight course, like when he won a classified stakes over a mile in October 2023, and when he finished fourth in the International Handicap over today’s course and distance on King George day last year.

His trainer Jack Channon has his horses in good form these days, he has had three winners from his last 10 runners, as well as a second and a third, and you can be sure that Metal Merchant will progress from his debut this season, when he finished down the field in Ebt’s Guard’s handicap at Newbury last month.

But he won the Spring Cup on his debut last year and, while he should take a nice step forward, it may be that at least one of the more unexposed horses can improve past him.

The last 10 winners of this race were either four or five, and top of the unexposed horses according to the market is Qirat, who finished second in the Challenge Cup over today’s course and distance in October, and who rounded off the season by finishing second to Sparks Fly in a listed race at Nottingham.

Potential

He gets to race today off a mark of 99, just 2lb higher than his Challenge Cup mark, and he has the potential to be better than that. But he is short, and all his best form is on easier ground than the ground that he will encounter today.

Roi De France is interesting too, he has been plying his trade on all-weather of late, and we know that all-weather form translates well to Ascot’s straight track.

He has race fitness on his side too, he has run twice this season already and he ran well in the All-Weather Championships at Newcastle last time to finish second to Storm Star. He is short enough though too, and, while this race should be at least fairly strongly run, he stays a mile well, and the drop back down to seven furlongs may not be ideal.

Gleneagle Bay is five now, but he is a really lightly-raced five-year-old. The Gleneagles gelding ran a big race in the Sovereign Path Handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions’ Weekend in September over this trip to finish second to Dance Night Andday.

He quickened up smartly that day to hit the front just inside the furlong marker before just getting caught close home by Ross O’Sullivan’s filly. He was good too next time at the Curragh over a mile on his first run for Stephen Thorne, when he looked a likely winner as he challenged Rhythm King inside the final furlong, before going down by a half a length in the end. Sent off as favourite for the Irish Lincoln on his debut this season, he was a little keen through the early part of that race and, still on the bridle on the run to the two-furlong marker, his run just flattened out a little close home.

He should progress from that run and for the switch to better ground and possibly for the drop back down to seven furlongs. He has plenty of pace.

Stephen Thorne has made a really good start to the season and it is interesting that he is sending Gleneagle Bay to Ascot for this, a race that he mentioned as a possible target shortly after the Irish Lincoln.

His draw in stall 12 is probably a positive. Nine of the last 10 winners of this race – albeit some with much bigger fields – were drawn 10 or higher, and there is plenty of pace drawn around him and higher than him today.

Metaverse is in stall 13, Ten Pounds is in 16. And Hollie Doyle is a really good booking.

Swinton Hurdle

Harry Cobden is also an eye-catching booking for Dance And Glance in the Pertemps Network Swinton Hurdle at Haydock earlier in the day, and it looks like the ground is going to be in his favour.

Anthony Honeyball’s horse has raced three times on good ground, and he has won three times.

He battled on well to get the better of his long odds-on rival Fasol at Taunton in early March, and Fasol came out next time and ran a big race to finish third in the Novices’ Championship Final at Sandown on the last day of the season.

Dance And Glance was beaten last time at Bangor, but that was on good to soft ground, and he was held up in last place early, well off the pace.

He finished off his race strongly to take second place behind Bareback Jack, closing on the winner all the way to the line.

He gets to race off a mark of 116 today, just 1lb higher than the mark off which he raced that day, and that is more than fair.

A five-year-old who has raced just five times over hurdles, he has the potential to go well beyond that mark. He should get the fast pace that suits him well today, and he should have his ground. All looks set for a big run.

Gleneagle Bay, 2.40 Ascot, 1pt each-way @ 8/1 (generally)

Dance And Glance, 1.35 Haydock, 1pt each-way @ 10/1 (generally)