(Tough & classy Kumbeshwar (left) can have his day at Ascot)
The Listed handicap hurdle at Ascot looks competitive at first glance with some decent types that have plenty of winning form about them. Top weight Topolski is unbeaten over hurdles, starting out winning a very steadily run novice at Sandown in which red hot favourite Megastar could only finish 3rd, Topolski went on to win at Newton Abbot before a big step up to win a Grade 2 on Grand National day at Aintree. That Grade 2 looked pretty weak for the money on offer & that sometimes happens with the meeting's proximity to the Cheltenham Festival, however Topolski did what was required & has had a pipe opener with a run on the flat at Newmarket, he struggled there & tailed in last but should be fit here, with a flat rating of 90 he always had a chance of being high class over this different code & is fairly weighted on a mark of 150. Others of interest are Gary Moore's tough Via Galilei & Paul Nicholls' highly tried Brampour, last seen finishing 9th in Topolski's Aintree victory, he has a 5 pound swing & Ascot may suit this Daylami gelding better.
All the previously mentioned have chances but we're hugely keen one chances of Alan King's Kumbeshwar, a horse with form of the highest calibre over hurdles. Kumbeshwar won its first race over hurdles, getting outpaced before storming through impressively & although that remains its only win the subsequent form is top notch. King's charge was next beaten in somewhat unsuitable heavy ground by 148 rated Houblon Des Obeaux, then finished 3rd in the Grade 2 Adonis hurdle with the winner being Triumph Hurdle winner Zarkandar. We then rated Kumbeshwar our best bet of the Festival at 33/1 when edged out by a neck by handicap blot What A Charm in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham, he carried top weight of 11"10 & giving 18 pounds to the winner, putting up a great front running performance. He then finished 2nd in Grade 1's at Aintree & Punchestown & looks to be exceptionally well treated off a mark of 145 here, if this comes down to any kind of battle we'd expect him to tough it out & he could well not see another horse if Robert Thornton sets him out in front, at 7/1 we are definitely on.
(Time For Rupert can jump his way into the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture with victory in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby)
In the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby we only have eyes for one horse, many people's Cheltenham banker after an exceptional transition from staying hurdler to novice chaser Time For Rupert was one of the big let downs of 2011's Festival but had legitimate excuses. He was said to have broken a blood vessel in the race, the Grade 1 RSA Chase, & it definitely seemed like that happened when watching, however still finished 5th and was beaten just 6 lengths in the end. If Paul Webber has him over his problems we think he can beat last year's winner the very in & out Nacarat, a horse that when he's good he's very good jumping beautifully & travelling impressively, unfortuantely for backers Nacarat also loves running plenty of stinkers & we'd avoid betting in races he's in usually. The favourite for this one looks like being Diamond Harry who has been off the track since winning the 2010 Hennessy Gold Cup, another horse to be stepped up to chasing to avoid Big Bucks in the hurdling division, he's clearly very classy but having had 11 months off doesn't endear him to us & Time For Rupert has the potential to be a genuine superstar, a win here at 3/1 can set him on his way to the Gold Cup in March.
Selections:
3.00 Ascot - Kumbeshwar at 7/1 (general)
3.20 Wetherby - Time For Rupert at 3/1 (general)
A £10 double on the above selections could return £320 winnings - get on!
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