Ascot Saturday

LUCAS Murphy looks the man to keep onside at Ascot on Saturday, with the son of former top jumps jockey Timmy getting plenty of support at present which promises that his 7lb claim won’t last too long. As well as being Timmy’s son, his mother Verity is the daughter of leading owner Raymond Anderson Green and he has Fergal O’Brien as his godfather, and he will be well supported by those connections. He has ridden out for Paul Nicholls and Richard Hannon and has come up through the pony racing ranks in the UK, showing the promise you would expect given his pedigree.

1.25 Ascot Underwriting

Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase 2m 2f 181yd

Murphy has the first of several good chances here on Jet To Vegas, whose best effort to date came when splitting smart rivals Thomas Mor and Lucky Place in a ‘Chasing Excellence’ contest here last November and was switched back to hurdles in the spring to preserve his novice status, his run at Punchestown in early May counting as the 2026/27 season under BHA guidelines, for all he disappointed there.

Jet To Vegas bounced back to form when winning on good ground at Market Rasen last time, and while that was just a four-runner race, the runner-up has won since and the fourth has gone very close over the same course earlier this week.

A sound surface may be important to Jet To Vegas, with his best efforts coming on good ground and he ought to relish underfoot conditions here. Raised 4lb for Market Rasen, he is effectively 3lb lower when taking his rider’s claim into consideration and should be hard to beat.

2.00 Sodexo Live! Handicap Chase 2m 172yd

The last three winners of this contest are here to do battle again, but the one who makes most appeal is Aeros Luck, who is another good chance for Lucas Murphy in the colours of his grandfather. In the frame on his last four outings last term, he made his comeback on fast ground at Kelso, where his usual hood was discarded, and he showed improvement in finishing third to Breaking Cover having made most of the running.

Most of Sandy Thomson’s horses have shaped as if in need of a run this season (Florida Dreams a winner on return yesterday, albeit in a match), and Aeros Luck should strip fitter for that run, shaping in kind as he weakened only late. That was his first run since a breathing operation, which also suggests he will be better for the spin, and he’s a very rare runner at Ascot for his Borders-based trainer.

2.33 Sodexo Live! Regal Encore Handicap Chase 2m 7f 185yd

Queensbury Boy hasn’t always looked one to trust when coming off the bridle, often promising more than he delivered, but he probably doesn’t want soft ground despite winning a bumper in the mud, and he looked absolutely transformed when winning the Summer Plate on fast ground at Market Rasen last time, running on strongly in the straight having briefly been tapped for toe, and there was nothing wrong with his attitude as he ran down Kingston Narcissus from the last fence.

Queensbury Boy was wearing cheek pieces for the first time at Market Rasen, which may have been a benefit, but there’s little doubt that a sound surface suits him and he looks worth backing to prove the impression he made there was no flash in the pan.

A small rise in the weights merely puts him back where he was at the start of the season and he will be spot on for this, with Mickey Bowen likely to put him away for the spring when the ground turns testing again.

3.43 Lavazza Handicap Hurdle 1m 7f 157yd

Williethebuilder is hardly thrown-in from a mark of 140, but he has ideal conditions and arrives in excellent shape, having won with plenty in hand at Sedgefield a couple of weeks ago. He gets on well with Toby McCain-Mitchell, with the partnership scoring twice at Kempton in the spring, and the son of Arcadio is best when able to utilise his sharp turn of foot, with the three wins mentioned all coming on good ground.

He will need to pull out a bit more to defy his current mark but is clearly thriving and should be in there pitching at the finish in a race likely to be run to suit, with Gower Prince and Brenda’s Asking likely to ensure a strong pace.

Wetherby Saturday

1.10 Position Payout at Bet365 Handicap Chase 2m 3f 85yd

The going at Wetherby also features “firm” in the description and it’s a track that can get pretty fast at this time of year, which has resulted in small fields.

As mentioned above, Sandy Thomson’s horses have been slow to come to hand this season, but he doubled his tally when Florida Dreams won a match here on Friday and Marty McFly is expected to improve considerably on a run over hurdles at Perth a couple of weeks ago now returned to fences.

He won four on the bounce last season having again needed his return and his win over Coup de Coeur at Carlisle in March reads well in the context of this race.

He is a most assured ‘lepper’ of a fence which is a big plus as Wetherby’s fences still take plenty of jumping and that attribute will stand to him in a race that will surely put pressure on the suspect jumpers in the field given the likelihood of a brisk pace and although he’s racing over further than at Carlisle, he was a winner over this trip at Catterick last season and stamina is unlikely to let him down.

1.45 Bet365 Montagu Mares’ Hurdle (Listed) 2m

Kateira won this race in similar conditions last season and while her wide-margin defeat of Golden Ace flatters her to an extent, she still posted a fast time for the trip and should be too good for some useful rivals having had an outing at Chepstow to put her right. La Conquiere also came to hand at this time last term and looks the one to chase her home.

2.18 Bet365 Hurdle (Grade 2) (West Yorkshire Hurdle) 3m 26yd

Like Kateira, Take No Chances was unfancied and well beaten in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow three weeks ago, but she used that race as a springboard when beaten a neck by Strong Leader in this 12 months ago, and with that rival failing to fire after a second wind operation in the spring, she looks more likely to run to form than her main market rival, and can gain revenge for that defeat.

If Strong Leader is back to his best then he will win this, but he failed to score again last season, and was particularly disappointing in the Liverpool Hurdle on his final start, a race in which he’d been first and second in previous seasons. He needs treating with a degree of caution, for all he’s the best of these on paper.

155 -Bet365 Charlie Hall Chase (Grade 2) Good 3m 45yd

A really hard race to approach with confidence, and I’d ruled out the entire field before having to start again. Previous winner The Real Whacker didn’t have to get back to his best to win a handicap at Perth last time but this is probably the time to catch him and he will have had his confidence bolstered by bossing lesser rivals from the off there.

He’s a hopeful selection in a race that begs to be watched rather than wagered on.

Recommended

Jet To Vegas 1.25 Ascot – 1pt win @ 2/1 (general)

Aeros Luck 2.00 Ascot – 1pt win @ 8/1 (general)

Queensbury Boy 2.33 Ascot – 2pts win @ 15/2 (Coral, Ladbrokes; 7/1 general)

Marty McFly 1.10 Wetherby – 1pt win @ 8/1 (Pady Power; 15/2 general)

Take No Chances 2.18 Wetherby – 2pts win @ 5/4 (Bet365; 6/5 general)