This visit to one of my least favourite venues was purely because Two Shillings was about to make her long awaited comeback, but she managed to strike into herself on the gallops and the cut swelled when it should have shrunk and she was a non-runner. She does seem to have a knack for self-inflicted run avoidance...

Things have changed since I last visited. Ascot jumping used to be noted for staying hurdles and short chases, but today the main event was a 3m 6f chase. What has remained the same, currently made worse by the remedial work being done, is that you always feel distanced from the racing. The sumptuous (and expensive) facilities are fine, but they do very little to enhance enjoyment of the sport on offer, and thus the atmosphere is a bit lacking. On the upside, there was a local beer festival carrying over from the previous day, at which prices were a very reasonable £2.50 a pint. Shame it is only once a year...

Execution Juvenile Handicap Hurdle [2m]

1: Altilhar     2: Mon Michel     3: Oldrik

Winner owned: HR Hunt, trained Gary Moore, ridden: Jamie Moore

For pure punnery purposes the judge should have played a bit loose with the rules and shortened the winning distance from a half length to a neck. The lack of humour will not bother Gary Moore, who had a 1-2 in this, with Altilhar opening fractionally shorter priced than Mon Michel and ending up a touch longer. There was not much to choose between them on the betting or the track, but they had the race in the bag approaching two out. Oldrik stayed on honestly without ever teasing that he would catch the first two. Better ground than of late seemed set to suit Addicted but he ran terribly and Artadi, with a seven pound penalty for a cakewalk at Taunton, was a bit of a flop also. Although there was a string breeze across the track, the horses finished as if they were running into it, which implies that the early pace was a bit too quick and that they were struggling to get home. 

Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Novice Chase [2m 5½f]

1: Ballyfoy     2: Boychuk     3: Always Waining

Winner owned: MK George, trained: Tom George, ridden: Dominic Elsworth

A 33/1 winner of a four runner race implies an upset, and given that Ballyfoy's Rules career consisted of two feeble efforts and a walkover, after being second three times and falling once in five Irish points, well done to anyone who managed to pick him out.  Always Waining, having won a couple of lesser races, made a move four out and soon put daylight between himself and the rest, with odds-on Boychuk struggling to respond. However, Always Waining tied up approaching the second last, and Boychuk nosed in front, with Ballyfoy breathing down his neck. The pair both got good jumps at the second last, but given that he had the pace to win two mile hurdles, Boychuk was surprisingly done for tow on the run-in

TBA Mares' Novice Hurdle [2m 6f]

1: Saratogane     2: Fountain Crumble     3: Celtic Carisma

Winner owned: Pipe Monkees, trained: David Pipe, ridden: Tom Scudamore

Fountain Crumble was odds on for this, and on official ratings she had plenty in hand. However, that rating looked inflated, acquired bullying muppets at the gaffs, and there were one or two less exposed horses who may have able to make it up. She also is a tiny wee thing and had a lot of weight, reduced by Rachel Green's claim. Once the race was under way, Fountain Crumble did not hurdle especially impressively either, and entering the straight, she had not shaken of the pursuit. The one that managed to pick her up was Saratogane, who had looked a mudlover up until now, but seemed to cope with the faster ground - or was it that her limitations on the day were less of a hindrance? Celtic Carisma caught the eye in the paddock and ran OK again, and looks likely to get off the mark soon. Having refused to line up last week and been withdrawn, Velvet Dove was in a much more amenable frame of mind, and made the running until headed turning for home. A decent try nonetheless. Pia Jane looked well before hand, but has now two unimpressive runs to her name. 

Inkerman Handicap Chase [2m 3f]

1: Misty Dancer     2: Bishop's Bridge     3: Magic Sky

Winner owned: Pinks Gym & Leisure Wear, trained: Venetia Williams, ridden: Liam Treadwell

This was not unlike the novice chase, except busier, as twelve ran. Two horses went head to head over the final pair of fences, neither did anything wrong, but when it came to pace on the run-in Misty Dancer had a little too much for Bishop's Bridge. As they entered the straight, Bishop's Bridge looked the more likely winner, but Misty Dancer, one of four greys in the race to the utter confusion of sentimentalists, looked determined to win. In fact, given the effort that the horse put in, it is slightly surprising that his form figures are so erratic. Magic Sky, who won a selling hurdle just before Christmas, stayed on in vain shaping as if he is ready to have a try over further than this. Veteran Fork Lightning was reportedly retired after pulling up, but the even older Turgeonev showed a bit of spark before being outpaced in the latter stages, and his handicap mark is finally beginning to look workable.

Countrywide Steel And Tubes Handicap Chase [3m 6f]

1: Martha's Kinsman     2: Garryvoe     3: High Cotton

Winner owned: Barlow, Hartley& Brereton, trained: Henry Daly, ridden: Richard Johnson

The third chase on the card, and the third crackingly close finish, with a length and a head between the first three. This was not quite as cliff hanging as the previous two, as Martha's Kinsman kicked clear approaching the third last, and although being reeled in by the next two, he never looked like he would succumb before the safety of the winning post. Garryvoe had jacked it in when tackling the Midlands National, but he has prevailed in marathons previously. His problem is a tendency to make one or two energy sapping blunders, and a couple today may have cost him the race. When he gets it right, he has more wins in him. There is not much more to say about High Cotton. His Tote place odds of 0.6/1 says it all, given that we all know that he is not going to win. Presenting Express was given exaggerated waiting tactics, and never got into the race before pulling up. He jumped better than usual though. Irish raider Dublin Hunter has not tackled ground this lacking in mud since the Boer War, and it proved not to be his cup of tea this time.

Kimberley-Clark Handicap Hurdle [2m 3½f]

1: Predator     2: Backbord     3: Swift Sailor

Winner owned: Glencoe Plant Services, trained: Jonjo O'Neill, ridden: Noel Fehily

This seemed completely impossible to forecast in advance, but everyone overheard expressing an opinion was keen on Predator, so it was a surprise that he went off at 7/1. He only won by 2½ lengths, but when he hit the front turning for home, nothing was going as smoothly and his worst enemy could have been himself. There were no worries on that score, and as he stays further, Predator was not going to tie up. Backbord led the prey, gamely trying all the way to the line, harrassed by Swift Sailor, with Earth Man plodding on behind. For such a difficult race to fathom, it seemed ironically that the first five in the betting (all priced from 5/1 to 8/1) were going to come home 1-2-3-4-5. This was foiled when Warningcamp made a bad mistake and unseated two from home. The vibe was that he was unlucky, but he looked to me as if he was just beginning to struggle at the time.

Ones to Note

Celtic Carisma: Looks fairly treated on a rating of 100, and the drying ground is in her favour

Velvet Dove: Has a little ability when in the mood (like today). Last week's antics show that she is not one, however, to be taking a short price about.

Dublin Hunter: Marathon chases on soft ground next winter

Ones to Avoid

High Cotton: Don't be tricked into thinking he has turned over a new leaf at the age of 12

Warningcamp: Could turn up and Aintree or another big meeting as something of a whisper based on this run, but it was not going to be as good as some people seemed to think.

UK-Jumping Selections

Backbord: Ran a blinder in the last, despite the trip being a bit shorter than he would like