Ascot Sunday Preview - 31/03/2019

The opening race at Ascot on Sunday is the Your Bet With Ascot Means More Maiden Hurdle over two-and-half-miles. With the ground set to be good in this Class Four, My Way can start a good day for Paul Nicholls and fellow backers.

He finished second to Wicked Willy when failing to match the pace of the winner at Kempton latest, having finishing third to One For Rosie of Nigel Twiston-Davies' at Warwick the time before.

Traditionally in the firing line, and is one for the shortlist here, with other individuals arriving with plenty to do.

My Way for Nicholls and Cobden looks a big threat.

The second race is the Colts and Fillies Club Juvenile Handicap Hurdle - a Class Two Handicap over just shy of two miles, and with a rather large field on our hands, we have selected both Scaramanga and Praeceps.

Scaramanga has also been in decent form for ten-times Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls since taking to obstacles, recording a third at Ludlow on hurdles bow, before a runners-up medal at Taunton was quickly followed by his first victory at the same venue.

That success was well deserved as well, comfortably drawing clear up the straight at short odds, and will look to follow that up in style here.

Praeceps for Alan King meanwhile has gone a bit backward on his form guide since his victory at Market Rasen back in February.

That being said, he finished third to the smart-looking Fusil Raffles in a Grade Two at Kempton, before finishing sixth in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival.

Nice form and in this lower grade, he will hold a leading card in the outcome.

Volt Face has been knocking on the door for some time now for Paul Webber, and perhaps his day in the spotlight may come on Sunday in the Geobind Handicap Chase over two-miles-and-five-furlongs.

Three of his last four starts have merited a second place finish - and there was no disgrace in going down by half a length last time out at Sandown when behind Ben Pauling's Delire D'Estruval.

Gavin Sheehan gets the ride and he has been in good form of late.

Surely this is his chance to get his head in front.

Highway One O One bowled along rather nicely in front at the Cheltenham Festival only to fade down the field behind a standout winner, but does sport some excellent form which has been accumulated across the season.

It was a bold shout to go the gallop like that on the contours at Cheltenham, and perhaps a return to a left-handed track may bring back the best of him.

Twice a winner in the last six months, and both of those have come in small-race affairs.

He only faces four other rivals in this (First Days Charity Novices Handicap Chase), and as top weight he has obvious claims for Chris Gordon.

Leg 5 of the Veterans Chase Series commences at 4:30, and we believe it's Horatio Hornblower's turn to complete his runout with a visit to the winner's enclosure.

Sits at the foot of the weights, and has been dropping in the handicap ever since the turn of the year.

Two thirds either side of an unseat indicate he usually makes the frame, but off this featherweight where he is in receipt of almost two stone of the top one, must mean he has an outstanding shout.

Harry Cobden will recieve the instructions to hold this 11yo at the rear and to be played late, and there could be no man better equipped to the task at this minute in time.

No selection in the last, so our tips conclude in the Iron Stand Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle, where Kings Ryde appears the pick of the bunch.

His one start this season - just three weeks ago in fact, saw him return to the racecourse scene after over a year on the sidelines.

He made no mistake however, scoring against fitter rivals in a Class Three at Wincanton, and won going away.

This looks the perfect race for the seven-year-old, who is still operating at a very low mileage.