Ascot’s flat season has come to a close but the jumps are back and Saturday’s card at the track if full of old favourites.
I like the chances of BALLYBOLLEY in the opening handicap chase as Nigel Twiston-Davies’s gelding gets his preferred good ground and arrives in decent form after two runs already this season.
Second to a good horse in Marracudja on reappearance, he then won at Wetherby two weeks ago and should give something like his best against this field of six.
Slick jumping is his greatest asset, however it wasn’t on show at Wetherby where several blunders possibly cost him a far bigger winning margin, but that might have maintained his mark for this and could be a blessing in disguise.
He absolutely bolted up with a really classy performance at Haydock last season off a mark of 129, and, though he now races 10lbs higher at 139, I think he can be a good bit better than that on today’s ground.
4/1 seems pretty good for a horse with everything in his favour, though he does have to give weight to the unexposed favourite, Crimson Arc, who will be jumping fences for the first time in public.
At 3/1 and clearly fancied as a blot of the handicap, he’s got very solid hurdles form and, receiving 5lbs from Ballybolley, will clearly take a lot of beating should he take well to fences.
Remind Me Later, San Benedito and top-weighted Master Dee can’t be ruled out either – it’s a handicap after all – but if Ballybolley jumps well I think he’ll take a lot of beating.
1pt win Ballybolley @4/1, 13:55 Ascot, Saturday
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