Sky Sports Racing’s senior form analyst Jamie Lynch has five horses to keep an eye on for the return of National Hunt racing to Ascot on Saturday.
12.55 – Immortal
It’s almost unfair on the rest that IMMORTAL (12.55) is able to jettison into a handicap after just the two runs, two runs at Sandown which suggest he could be chucked in off 110.
He started out in the same novice that Constitutional Hill had the year before, and was only 5/2 against a smart one in Authorised Speed, excusably no foe for him but shaping well, and though he was beaten at odds-on two months later (wind-op in between) it was another unfair fight with a Gary Moore mercenary, this time Givega, who was sent off favourite for the Imperial Cup off 133, bringing into sharp focus Immortal’s task that day, as well as his opening mark of just 110.
The extra distance should be right up his street, from the family of strong stayer Full Back – ironically trained by Gary Moore – though Immortal will be relieved this is a Moore-free zone.
1.30 – Hermino AA
The novices’ limited handicap chase (1.30) is a radar race for Gary Moore, whose runners in the last six renewals have finished first, fourth, seventh, second, first and third, with some well-known ones amongst them like Editeur Du Gite in 2020.
It’s significant, therefore, that HERMINO AA is the chosen one for this year, taking the first available exit for fences despite his development in double-quick time as a hurdler, having not even made his debut at this time last year.
He won novice hurdles at Plumpton and Warwick but in between was the performance that marked him out as one to follow for this season in a handicap at Sandown, where he beat everything else by miles but came up against Howlingmadmurdock, who ran very well for fifth in the Grade One Sefton at Aintree next time.
Hermino AA looks the part, just “a big baby” last season according to Jamie Moore, who said after his latter win that, “he’ll make up into a nice chaser for the future.” The future is now.
2.05 – Red Rookie
Maybe it’s because I backed him and therefore look with retrospective rose-tinted glasses, but in my mind RED ROOKIE (2.05) was bombing along when departing at the sixth-last on his one and only visit to Ascot, a track that really should play to his high-cruising strengths.
He gets another chance to prove the point on his comeback – a good time to catch him – for the fact he goes well fresh along with the stable form, Emma Lavelle having won with 10 of her 31 runners since October 1.
A well-run two miles is what he wants and a well-run two miles is what he shall get with First Flow and Quel Destin in the line-up, and there’s a feeling that this could be his coming-of-age season, having mostly been minded so far (only 11 runs over jumps).
He was ready to roll at Cheltenham last weekend but withdrawn because the ground was not so soft as suits him, something that will not be an issue at Ascot considering the rainfall around.
Red Rookie in action over fences
3.15 – Rare Middleton
It’s 12 years since the one and only time a four-year-old won this handicap hurdle (3.15) – an uncommon occurrence – but the trainer who won it then might do it again because Paul Nicholls significantly sends RARE MIDDLETON into bat, a horse who is low on experience but high on potential.
Snapped up (for 215,000 guineas) after laying Listed-level foundations on the Flat, Rare Middleton had a short-but-intensive initial spell over hurdles, in the deep end of the Adonis for just his second start (finished third) before paying the price for going toe to toe with Parramount in Fakenham’s most valuable handicap, though he was all the rage that day off 119 and he’s 2lb lower now.
Despite ending that race on the back foot, the involvement in that and Graded company should put him on the front foot for this season, with a strong sense of hidden depths to him.
3.45 – Monbeg Genius
It may have been an underwhelming reappearance by Corach Rambler at Kelso last weekend but the bigger picture with him is that of a high-rolling staying chaser and one of the smoothest Grand National winners you will ever see, as well as the founder of the strongest form-line of the season, remembering that in the Ultima he beat Fastorslow, subsequent slayer of Galopin Des Champs. Who was right behind them in third at Cheltenham? MONBEG GENIUS (3.45).
It was hardly out of the blue – joint-favourite with Corach Rambler that day – having cycled up to it with a handicap hat-trick as a novice, still doing extremely well to cope as he did with the different demands of a Festival race and, considering how the race worked out, a 7lb rise for finishing clear of the rest in third looks lenient.
The Coral Gold Cup is probably his primary target, but he would pick up only a 4lb penalty if winning this en route, well within his means on his form as it stands let alone the inbound improvement as a second-season chaser.
Watch every race from Sodexo Gold Cup day at Ascot all live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday, November 4.
