Ascot SATURDAY

Any rain about today.

ASCOT
2.05 - Grundon Waste Management Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) - L'Eau du Sud & Shakeyatailfeather
Down at Ascot, we've got L'Eau du Sud in the big handicap two-mile chase, and Shakeyatailfeather is in there as well. The best scenario for us here is that we get a bit of rain so we can run L'Eau du Sud. I do need to see that rain; he carries forward some very good novice form from last year and Tristan [Durrell] rides him this weekend. He rides him a lot at home and he's taking three-pound off here which is obviously helpful as well. We've done plenty with him, and we're coming out of novice company now, so we need to make sure we're ready for that move.

Shakeyatailfeather won up at Kelso earlier this month, and won well. Obviously this is a step up in grade, but it's worth a lot of money. She wouldn't want any rain, so we'll have a look at the forecast here. She hasn't got much weight, and I think that brings her into consideration a bit to be honest. Let's see what the weather forecast does for those two, though.

2.35 - Gl Events Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race) - Ice In The Veins
We've got Ice In The Veins in a Novices' Hurdle - I have to say I've been a bit disappointed after he bolted up in his bumper, but he isn't a simple horse to ride. He's a bit keen, but once he learns to settle, I think we'll find that we've got a much better horse on our hands. This is a big occasion for him at Ascot, and of course it's possible that it gets to him again. But we need to get him used to these things, so we're subjecting him to them in preparation for one day, where he will be ready for something a lot bigger. You have to work with him a bit, and like I say, we're trying to get it right, and it's just not easy. But when it does all come together for him, I think you'll find there's a fair engine there, like the bumper showed.

3.45 - Sodexo Live! Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) - Snipe
Snipe turns out quickly having run up at Kelso last week. It's frustrating that the fences came out because of low sun, as that scuppered any chances he had there. He still ran OK, but I think you'll find he can run a lot better than that with the jumps in. He doesn't have much weight and I know it's a quick turnaround, but I don't feel like he had much of a race at Kelso last week. Of course, the travel time has to come into consideration; but he's an older horse now, and he can take these kind of things in his stride.

4.20 - Ascot Roundtable Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race) - Hitintheheadlines
Hitintheheadlines runs in the bumper and is a nice horse. He won a point-to-point and is showing up nicely at home. We'd want a bit of rain for him, but he's done well at home up to this point, and that should see him run well here.