Ascot
2.25pm
The Worlds End
We always used to think he needed decent ground but he ran a great race on soft in the Stayers’ Hurdle last year and he went a long way to confirming he can handle it soft when winning by 5 lengths on his return at Wetherby. It looks like it will be even more testing here, though. There was clearly no disgrace when third to Paisley Park and the King George-bound Thistlecrack at Newbury – and the runner-up was getting 6lb off us – and hopefully he can run up to that level of form here. If he does, then I’d like to think we can follow the favourite home at the very least. But ground this deep has to be a worry, though the same could be said of Paisley Park maybe. It’s tough bumping into one of the best 3m hurdlers we have seen in recent times though!
3.00pm
Azzerti
He obviously delighted us when winning over 2m4f at Newbury on his reappearance but his effort on a return to that course-and-distance last time suggested to us that another try at this longer trip was worth a shot. The handicapper didn’t drop us for that his latest run and this will be his first run on heavy, but he has an excellent record on soft, with three wins on it, including around here, and we are looking forward to seeing what he can do in these conditions. He has a lovely racing weight in this ground.
