It’s a superb weekend of National Hunt racing and our top tipster Matthew Sutcliffe is back with his value punts for what should be some top notch action at Ascot and Wetherby. Check out his best bets for Ascot’s Jumps card here…
Published: 3.00pm, Tuesday, October 29th (Odds correct at time of writing)
1:30pm Ascot Ascot Underwriting Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+) – Bucksy Des Epeires 9/1 1pt WIN
Jingko Blue was lightly raced over hurdles for Nicky Henderson and campaigned like a smart one from that yard, and I’ve no doubt that chasing will suit him in time. But at 7/4, he looks woefully priced at this stage and given he was beaten at 4/7F on seasonal debut last year, it may pay to take him on first time up.
Venetia Williams’ string have come out later than most so we’re yet to fully gauge where she’s at with them, but last November they were in fine fettle with the record reading 51-17-10 (£29.44+), and BUCKSY DES EPEIRES looks worth chancing on chase debut. The son of Buck’s Boum looks like the archetypal Venetia Williams chaser, coming from France as a 3yo before being ready enough on British debut to lower the colours of a 10/11 Dan Skelton favourite.
He then ran an excellent race in a £31K handicap at Sandown in December, finishing a 3L second to Spirit D’Anou from 3lbs out of the weights, pulling fourteen lengths clear of the third who’s rated 12lbs higher having bolted up by 21L next time out and latterly taking a competitive 16k event at Ayr in April.
Bucksy Des Epeires went backwards from the off, before getting his career back on track when beaten a neck at Ludlow off top-weight by a subsequent winner, with two further subsequent winners in behind. He begins life in handicap chases this season off a mark of 121 which is workable judged on last years form, and like many of the yard’s runner’s, this discipline can bring out further improvement in him. His pedigree backs up that belief, being by Buck’s Boum out of a three time winning chaser (included listed) and a half-brother to a winning chaser.
The yard have an excellent record here, reading 40-11-16 (£30.10+) in handicap chases over the last five seasons and the fact he won well first time up last season suggests he’ll be ready for this for a yard that took this in 2014.
2:05pm Ascot Byrne Group Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Saint Segal 5/1 2pt WIN
This selection won’t come as a surprise to most readers of the column, and it took a lot of willpower not to play SAINT SEGAL at Chepstow last time out. That race was surely a prep for this, given he was beaten six lengths by Boothill in it from a now 2lbs higher mark last season. He just ran out of gas in the race there, shaping very much as if needing the run particularly given it was his first one after having his wind tweaked.
He was never put in the race at Chepstow and jumped poorly, but again he likely needed that run and the first one after having his wind tweaked again, so he’s likely to be cherry ripe this time around. He’s clearly a well handicapped animal off 135, given he would’ve beaten Boothill second time up last season who posted an RPR of 162 when fourth in the G1 Celebration Chase at Sandown when last seen.
He does come with risks, given he is prone to an error and can race keenly, but I’m less concerned about the latter now he’s race fit, so we’ll have to trust the former doesn’t prevail. This is however, last chance saloon, as simply put if he cannot win this then I seriously don’t know how they’ll get him to win again.
3:15pm Ascot Lavazza Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Rightsotom 12/1 1pt WIN
This is a race I might play again in post-decs, but for now the 12/1 about RIGHTSOTOM could look generous come flag fall if declared.
The son of Maxios has a long layoff to contend with, having not been seen since taking a Cork maiden hurdle eight lengths in May 2023 for Thomas Mullins. He made the switch to Joe Tizzard last November as a 4yo, with the owners buying him as a replacement for their ill-fated Oscar Elite. Interestingly, the Tizzard’s brought him to work alongside Eldorado Allen on Coral Gold Cup Day, so he must abode some air of class at home.
He’s been minded by his new connections, which may be no bad thing given he’s still a five-year-old and has already had two runs at the highest level. Prior to those, he was beaten ten lengths on hurdles debut as a 3yo by Zarak The Brave, who is now rated 152 having finished 2nd, 2nd and 3rd on his next three starts in graded company, before taking the Galway Hurdle off 145 and running a good race when fourth in the Champion Hurdle last season. On that form alone, Rightsotom is chucked in off a mark of 126.
Connections then chucked him in the deep end for the Triumph Hurdle on just his second start, and he wasn’t entirely disgraced finishing 6/15, nor was he when a 9L 4th in the G1 Anniversary 4yo Hurdle at the Aintree Festival, finishing four lengths behind Nusret who’s rated 137 now.
The layoff is the obvious concern, but the majority of Joe Tizzard’s winners of late have come first time up this season which bodes well, and if Rightsotom is cherry ripe then he may fare the proverbial group horse in a handicap off a very workable opening mark.
3:45pm Ascot Sodexo Live! Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Two For Gold 10/1 1pt EW 3 places
In 2020, the twelve-year-old Regal Encore puts his experience to good use against some younger legs when taking this having been second in the race the year before, and lightning can strike once more with the veteran TWO FOR GOLD.
He may be long in the tooth now, but this will no doubt be his cup final while others may be using it as a prep for the likes of Newbury next time out. Bailey’s son of Gold Well was second to Victtorino in this race last season, with that one evidently chucked in off 138 having won a shade cosily off 142 next time out and peaking at 146, and Two For Gold has a 9lbs swing in the weight with him this time around which is enough to suggest he’s overpriced with Williams’, for all I am very fond of that horse.
Two For Gold went off the boil in three subsequent efforts, but it was no surprise to see him pull up on heavy ground off top-weight in the Welsh National Trial at Chepstow, and that probably had lasting effects. He returned to form over C&D when a half a length to Sam Brown in a competitive Veterans Chase over C&D in March, with that one going on to post a second career best effort next time out in a 56K C2 handicap at Aintree, giving 13lbs to the runner up.
His record over obstacles here reads 22122 including a length second to Faki D’oudairies in the G1 Ascot Chase, and his record fresh reads 1144121502, with the only somewhat below par effort in the Plate Handicap at the Festival in a first time visor. He seems to need this better ground nowadays, and if primed for this then he can put up a bold bid from the front.
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