Ascot today

Another strong card at Ascot today, but the very testing ground will pose problems for many of the runners and punters should definitely take this into account. That said, we expect the powerful teams of Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson, who have dominated the Saturday cards so far this season, to be to the fore again. Nicholls was expected to take the main event, the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle over an extended 3 miles at 15.00 CET, with the great champion Big Buck´s, and in his enforced absence through injury can still win it with Prospect Wells (Ruby Walsh).His form is all at 2 miles, but the trainer thinks (and we agree!) that he can stay this trip; he has a superb pedigree, being a Sadlers Wells half-brother to Solemia, who won the Arc on very heavy ground in October. Henderson supplles the main danger with Master of the Hall (Tony McCoy), who has not run over hurdles for almost 3 years, but loves Ascot and loves heavy ground; much-improved handicapper Trustan Times (Tim Easterby/ Dougie Costello) looks the main danger to the big two.

The big betting race is the Ladbroke Hurdle over 2 miles at 16.10, a ferociously difficult handicap with 21 runners. The key could be the Cheltenham handicap a month ago in which several of these runners took part, including the winner Olofi (Tom George/ Paddy Brennan), runner-up Cash and Go (Henderson/ Barry Geraghty), third-placed Cause of Causes (Gordon Elliott/ Davy Condon) and fourth Bothy (Brian Ellison/ Patrick Corbett). We likefd Olofi then and still like him, but at these weights Cash and Go and Bothy might improve past him. Henderson has 3 more runners, of which we expecially fancy lightly-raced German-bred Lyvius (Jerry McGrath), who has been put up 8 lbs for his latest Newbury win, but looks the type to improve further. Nicholls saddles only one, Ranjaan (Walsh), one of several 4yo´s in the field, but he has been off almost a year and does not seem well handicapped for what he has actually achieved. Almost anything could win this, but at the likely odds we go alo ng with Bothy.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: De La Bech - Cheat The Cheater - Okafranca
2. Race: Solix - Cedre Bleu - Brass Tax
3. Race: Smad Place - Prospect Wells - Reve De Sivola
4. Race: Hold On Julio - Hey Big Spender - Roberto Goldback
5. Race: Balder Succes - Cash And Go - Ranjaan
6. Race: Ulck du Lin - Gus Macrae - Falcon Island