YOU can make a case for many in the Howden Silver Cup at Ascot this afternoon.

It is not surprising that Pic Roc has been popular. Ben Pauling’s horse was one of three horses who were badly inconvenienced by the standing start in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury last time.

He wasn’t as badly affected as The Doyen Chief, who just didn’t go with them, but he was every bit as inconvenienced as Gorgeous Tom and Katate Dori were.

He missed the break and he was always playing catch-up in a race that was not run at a strong pace and in which it was an advantage to race prominently. Three of the first five home were first, second and third after they had gone seven furlongs.

He did start to make his way through his field at the top of the home straight, and he stayed on well up the run-in to take fifth place. It was a fine run.

He gets to race off the same mark of 135 today, he won a novices’ hurdle in February last year on his only run to date at Ascot, and Ben Pauling has his horses in tremendous form these days.

When Vanderpoel won the novices’ handicap chase yesterday, he took his trainer’s record in the last two weeks to 13 wins from 40 runs. That’s a strike rate of 32.5%.

The only problem with Pic Roc is that he is popular and he is short and there is this feeling that he runs well in defeat more often than he wins. He is interesting, but there is a sense that you would prefer to back him in a better race at a bigger price.

Johnnywho is a player, racing off a mark that is just 5lb higher than the mark off which he was beaten a neck by Daily Present in the Kim Muir in March, and Deep Cave, winner of the premier three-mile handicap hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, was good last time on his return to fences when he beat The (aforementioned) Doyen Chief at Bangor, for which a 4lb hike is not harsh.

Interest

And Victtorino is always of interest at Ascot. He is four for five there, and he won this race last year off a mark of 143, just 3lb lower than the mark off which he races today.

But he ran a remarkable race to finish third in the Coral Gold Cup on his last run before he won this race last year. This year, he put up a fairly abject display in the same Newbury race. The return to Ascot is going to have to spark a full-scale rejuvenation, and his odds give little away.

At a much bigger price, Threeunderthrufive is a more palatable betting proposition. Paul Nicholls’ horse is another horse who goes well at Ascot. He has run there three times, and he has finished first, third and second, in that order.

Winner of the three-mile premier handicap chase at the February meeting in 2024 off a mark of 152 on his first visit to the Berkshire track, when he had Victtorino back in fourth place, he finished third behind Victtorino in this race last year off a mark of 155. He went back there in February last season for that same three-mile premier handicap chase and finished second, beaten a nose by the same Victtorino off a mark of 153.

He was beaten quite literally by the bob of a head that day, and he meets his old foe on 3lb better terms.

Paul Nicholls’ horse was pulled up in the Grand National and in the Bet365 Gold Cup at the end of last season, and he could only finish fourth on his debut this season in the Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton, but he should come forward for that run. He usually improves from his first run of the season to his second.

He is 10 years old now, rising 11, but he has dropped a little in the handicap, and he had a wind operation during the off season. This will be his second run back after that.

His three runs at Ascot have been up there with the best runs of his life, and good to soft ground is ideal for him. He could out-run his odds by a fair way.

Tommy Whittle Chase

Grand Geste is not a massive price for the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock, but he deserves his position high in the market. He hasn’t won yet, and he is rated just 108 over hurdles, but already, after just two runs over fences, it looks like he is going to be a much better chaser than hurdler.

Second to the progressive The Jukebox Kid at Carlisle in early November on his chasing bow over two miles and five furlongs, he stepped forward from that last time at Newcastle when he was only just beaten in a two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase by Alcedo.

The two of them had it between them from a long way out, and Grand Geste only just gave best close home to Venetia Williams’ horse, who finished a good second behind Docpickedme in a 0-150 handicap chase at Doncaster last Saturday off a 6lb higher mark.

Grand Geste is set to race off a mark of 119 today, 7lb higher than his Newcastle mark, but he is progressive enough to take that type of hike in his stride.

Furthermore, out of a half-sister to Band Of Blood, who won twice over three miles, he races like he should improve for the step up to three miles and one and a half furlongs today, and he ran well in a maiden hurdle at Haydock on his only run there to date.

Grand Geste, 2.05 Haydock, 9/2 (generally), 1 point win

Threeunderthrufive, 3.10 Ascot, 16/1 (generally), 1 point win