At the weights I fancy ex-Champion-Chaser DODGING BULLETS to land this Ascot Grade 2 chase.
His best form is over two miles, where he’s a triple Grade 1 winner was and one of the stars of the 2014/2015 jumps season.
Aged eight it’s hard to believe his best days are behind him, and now stepped up in trip to two-miles-five he can prove it at Ascot.
He gets 10lbs from the favourite, God’s Own, who is also moving up in distance after excelling over two miles in Grade 1 chases, and that gives him a big chance.
Recent runs confirmed he’d lost some of the speed that saw him dominate the two-mile chasing division of yesteryear, but a staying on third behind Sprinter Sacre and Un De Sceaux at Sandown last season suggests he’ll improve for the jump in trip.
Stamina is by no means guaranteed but Paul Nicholls reckons this is what he wants, and an encouraging reappearance under a big weight in the Haldon Gold Cup offered plenty of reason for optimism.
God’s Own himself is a big threat and has the best form in the race, but he concedes weight all around and isn’t a nice price at 5/2.
He gave plenty of weight to Third Intention on his reappearance at Aintree, losing to that foe after meeting plenty of trouble in running yet still beating Vibrato Valtat to second.
That was an excellent reappearance so he should go well and, on far better terms, reverse the form with Third Intention.
Of the remainder, Royal Regatta loves Ascot but an on-song Kylemore Lough would be the biggest threat if fully wound up for his reappearance.
I’d rather back one with a run though, and the classy Dodging Bullets looks a nice enough price at 11/4.
1pt win Dodging Bullets @11/4, 14:05 Ascot, Saturday (SkyBet, money back as a free bet if 2nd)
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