Racecards
13:30 Ascot
John Doyle Handicap Chase (Class D)
- 5 Runners
- Distance: 3m 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
- Form 0F641/3-
- Age 9
- Weight 11-3
led, blundered 4 out, pressed and mistake next, driven 1 length ahead last, no extra under pressure flat and headed near finish
- Form 55F-113
- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer M Pitman
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
mistake 4th, tracked leader to 11th, struggling 14th, 4th and weakening when blundered 16th, pulled up before next
- Form P12315
- Age 8
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey Paul Moloney
in touch, closed into 3rd approaching 9th, went 2nd 11th, challenged 3 out, mistake next, 1 length last, rallied under pressure flat to lead near finish
- Form 1P60-F1
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer R Dickin
- Jockey J Pritchard
in touch, mistake 11th, blundered 12th, went moderate 3rd approaching 15th, held and no chance when jumped left 2 out
Basil
22- Form 531F-UP
- Age 10
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer R Buckler
- Jockey A Honeyball
tracked leaders, jumped slowly 6th, dropped to rear 10th, behind from 13th, tailed off when refused 16th
In depth
Verdict
No Forecast gets the vote here ahead of Mister Bigtime. After an absence, the selection ran a blinder to finish second at Cheltenham, having made a bad blunder when moving into contention. He was racing off today's mark there after winning at Newbury in 2001. If none the worse for those exertions, he should go close here. Davy Russell is an interesting booking for Mister Bigtime, who has yet to win a chase but has form enough to make him very competitive here. If tunes up for his seasonal bow, he looks set to run a big race. Gigs Gambit won a couple of handicaps at Fontwell before being out in his place at Plumpton. The other three are exposed as fairly modest, although Prairie Minstrel won from a four-pound lower mark last time and Ray Source is blinkered for the first time. However, we opt for No Forecast.