Sky Sports Racing presenter Mike Cattermole is back with his race of the day, taking aim at the £100,000 Bateaux London Gold Cup, live on Sky Sports Racing.
The £100,000 Bateaux London Gold Cup over three miles tops the bill as Ascot welcomes the return of NH racing for its new season.
Ground conditions should be perfect, currently good to soft, with the possibility of 3mm-5mm of showers overnight from Friday into Saturday morning to freshen things up.
Gary Moore, who saddles Full Back, has won the race a record three times, all of those coming in the past six runnings. The race was first run in 2006.
Pace should come from Good Boy Bobby and stablemate Poppa Poutine with Danny Kirwan and Annsam very handy, along with several others. Kitty’s Light will probably be ridden quietly.
Contenders
Good Boy Bobby
Although he carries top weight of 12st (Traffic Fluide holds the weight-carrying record of 11-12), he must be given serious consideration because of his amazing record when running after a break. He won on his racecourse debut and then his subsequent form figures after some time off read 1112117.
Used to be campaigned at around two and a half miles but it was only last season that he was stepped up in trip and he put up a smart performance in defeat behind Aye Right in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle before landing the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby on Boxing Day when making all. He is just 2lb higher and is much respected.
Mister Malarkey
Two-time course and distance winner, yet hasn’t performed well in three runnings of this race. Lost his way last season (tailed-off fifth in this) only to bounce back in the spring after a wind operation (his second) and a change of stable to Richard Bandey.
He was a good runner-up in both the Grimthorpe at Doncaster and at Cheltenham in April. But can he carry that through and do better this time?
Tea Clipper
Started the season well the last campaign but struggled to build on it until his fourth, weakening up the hill, in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Festival when sporting cheekpieces for the first time.
An excellent second at Chepstow on his reappearance should set him up nicely for this but is he the strongest stayer at this trip? I have my doubts.
Kitty’s Light
Bitterly disappointing on his reappearance at Chepstow (good to firm) behind Tea Clipper and that run will have to be overlooked to be given a chance here. Had a busy campaign in some of the leading chases last term with his only poor run being in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury (pulled up).
Other than that, was second in the Charlie Hall, the Coral Chase at Kempton and the Scottish National (five lengths ahead of Major Dundee who is 1lb worse off) before a third in the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, a race in which he was desperately unlucky the previous year.
Looks to be reasonably handicapped, has the help of an additional 7lb being taken off and is still only a six-year-old. Looks to offer some value at a best-priced 12-1 at the time of writing.
Rapper
Did well in small field chases last season, winning at Catterick (soft) and Wincanton (good) last winter before seemingly having his limitations exposed in the Ultima at Cheltenham. Hard to know what to make of him.
Full Back
Got to be worth a second look given the record of connections in this race. Won at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day over 31/4 miles before a decent second in the Portman Cup at Taunton over the extended three and a half miles.
It may be that he needs a bigger test of stamina but a bigger concern is his tendency to make jumping errors, although he has never fallen in his life.
Annsam
Now 5lb higher than when winning the Silver Cup over the course and distance last December. But after a dismal round of jumping at Kempton, he ended the season running twice over hurdles, winning well at Newbury.
Highly thought of by his trainer who reports that he will need a run to take the freshness out of him and that is why he is passed over today.
Regal Encore
An Ascot modern jumping legend who has won here four times, been placed six, from 15 starts. He will be 15 in a couple of months but takes part in this for the fifth time with form figures of 0213. Can he do it again?
Well, he has been given a chance by the handicapper and is now down to 136 from 149 when third a year ago. Place money? Had his third wind op at the start of the year and performed well here soon afterwards. You have to wish him well.
Our Power
An improving chaser who must be respected after wins at Wincanton and Huntingdon in his first season over fences.
He ended the campaign mixing it in deeper waters when third at Kempton (just over five lengths behind Kitty’s Light but 2lb better) when he overjumped the last and fifth in the Ultima (made a mistake two out), just behind Tea Clipper with whom he is now 3lb better for half a length.
Wears cheekpieces and needs to find a touch more but, as a second-season chaser, he may find it.
Danny Kirwan
Likes to force the pace and won here against three rivals over 2m5f last March. But we need more evidence about his being a proper three-mile chaser, even though he seemed to just about stay when second at Kempton in May.
Major Dundee
Could be an interesting horse to follow in his second season of chasing having won two (Fakenham and Bangor) from four last term. Ended with a fine third over four miles in the Scottish National at Ayr, five lengths behind Kitty’s Light and yet is 1lb worse off.
Reported to have done well physically over the summer, his trainer has an eye on the “old Hennessy” at Newbury next month and he could do with winning this to improve his chances of getting into the race there.
Looks sure to go well but, and a small but, his only two runs on right-handed tracks were underwhelming. Perhaps there were other reasons for those and I’ll hand him the benefit of the doubt and expect a bold show.
Up The Straight
Useful performer but he wilted dramatically on the hill at Fontwell last time having looked all over the winner and am not sure going up to three miles for the first time is what he needs, especially in this company.
Poppa Poutine
Stablemate of the topweight who also likes to race handily. Another second-season chaser who was a game-winner at Wincanton last March and warmed up for this with an encouraging run over hurdles at Perth.
Gives the impression he will do even better with more of a stamina test in time.
Verdict
Good Boy Bobby has extraordinary form figures after having a break and therefore must be considered, while there is plenty of respect for the unexposed Major Dundee.
However, at the prices the value may lie with Kitty’s Light whose reappearance run was surely too bad to be true. He is still only six. Regal Encore is at the opposite end of his career and can grab a chunk of prize money.