Won by the likes of Faugheen and Rock On Ruby in the past decade, the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle is run over 2m3½f, and is the perfect starting point for either Champion Hurdle or Stayers’ Hurdle aspirants. Joe Napier previews the six runners in this year’s renewal and gives his 1-2-3.
Winning as a four-year-old last year Blueking d’Oroux showed maturity beyond his years to defeat four rivals in 2023.
GOLDEN ACE
(Jeremy Scott/Lorcan Williams)
In one of the upsets of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, Golden Ace gamely held off a horde of Irish challengers to win a third straight Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle for British trainers back in March. The six-year-old had been very impressive in her two starts prior, but was still a big underdog at Prestbury Park.
She was in receipt of 5lb from Brighterdaysahead (as well as Birdie Or Bust and Jade De Grugy), but she was keeping on best of all up the Cheltenham Hill. She completed an unbeaten season with a Listed success under her own penalty the following month, and that Mares’ Novices’ form has only been boosted significantly since. This race will ask a question of her in open Graded company for the first time, but she is clearly a talented horse.
BLUEKING D’OROUX
(Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden)
The first four-year-old winner of this race since Silviniaco Conti in 2010, Blueking d’Oroux is in illustrious company for that achievement alone. So often, the previous season’s juvenile hurdlers struggle to make the step up, but having found his form after struggling significantly in his early days with Paul NIcholls, he managed to contend regularly against his elders last term.
After his victory here, he was fifth in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle when not quite seeing out that trip at his tender age. After a break, he was then a very respectable fourth in a deep running of the Grade 2 Select Hurdle at Sandown, and there could easily be more to come from him this season, especially in this class over intermediate trips. There would be a slight question mark if the rain changes the ground significantly, but he is high on the list.
THUNDER ROCK
(Olly Murphy/Sean Bowen)
Purely on the numbers, Thunder Rock comes out as the best treated horse in the race here. The eight-year-old has not been far short of the top level over fences for the past two seasons, winning twice in Listed company and ultimately now holding a chase rating of 156, adjusted recently to 149 over hurdles.
It has been well over two-and-a-half years since he last raced over timber, so some adapting will be necessary, but he was not always a natural jumper of a fence. This could therefore be a smart move by Olly Murphy, although it might be worth watching his first effort back in a pretty decent contest to be sure this is his game.
LUCKY PLACE
(Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville)
Nicky Henderson had a torrid time of things from January onwards last term, but one of his horses to truly maintain a high level of form throughout the season was Lucky Place. The five-year-old was well held on his hurdles bow, but behind a highly regarded winner, then won readily at Doncaster before competing in tougher contests.
He was beaten under a length by Golden Ace at Taunton last January, conceding her a stone. Now he concedes her just 4lb, despite having finished a close second in a novice Grade 2 next time out, and then fourth in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival when Henderson was pulling most of his runners out. As a young horse, he may well still progress, especially with his stable now in better form, and his Taunton and Cheltenham efforts in particular would make him highly competitive here.
THE FIELD
Only two others complete the field. Long suffering fans of Colonel Mustard can still count just a single success over hurdles in 16 attempts for the oldest contender in this field. He does often run in Grade 1 company though, and usually holds his own, so despite a slightly underwhelming reappearance at Sligo recently, he is respected.
The last to mention is Salver, who will seek to emulate Blueking d’Oroux as a four-year-old winner of this race. He emerged as comfortably the best of the Brits in the Triumph Hurdle when third to Majborough after racking up a four-timer beforehand. The rain coming will help and he is interesting trying this sort of distance for the first time, but although a horse of his age won last year, this is still a tall ask for a first start in open company, particularly as he carries a penalty.
ITV Racing Tips – Ascot And Haydock Picks For Saturday 23rd November, 2024
There’s a whopping nine races taking place in front of the ITV Racing cameras on Saturday 23rd November, 2024 and it’s set to be a sparkling day’s action at Ascot and Haydock. With Graded races aplenty, our tipster Steve Chambers takes a look at the terrestrial action and picks out his best bets for the…
Fri 22 Nov 2024
VERDICT
This looks a fun renewal of the Ascot Hurdle, with lots of different angles to consider. Golden Ace is highly respected given her unbeaten record and the brilliant form of her Mares’ Novices’ win while defending champion Blueking d’Oroux could also have plenty more to offer. A line through his Taunton second to Golden Ace makes LUCKY PLACE of particular interest at the prices though. He ran really well at the Cheltenham Festival when his stable was dreadfully out of form, and he showed plenty of promise throughout the second half of the season to suggest more is to come, especially with his yard back in regular shape. Salver and Colonel Mustard could also have their parts to play.
- Lucky Place
- Golden Ace
- Blueking d’Oroux
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