Newbury and Ascot notes: David Cleary reflections

It's fair to say Cheltenham Festival clues were pretty thin on the ground at Newbury and Ascot, the two main cards on the last two Saturdays. Beyond British stables' two main Gold Cup hopes, Shishkin and L'Homme Presse, there was Edwardstone pushing himself back into the Champion Chase conversation. And that was about it.

That doesn't mean there weren't plenty of pointers, particularly for the longer term, but it is reflective of the balance of power that British stables are simply not competitive in rather more championship races than is desirable.

As for Shishkin and L'Homme Presse, the former, who was successful, obviously did more to advance his claims than the latter, who wasn't. After misbehaving at Ascot and misadventure at Kempton, Shishkin, looking in fine shape, did all that was required in landing the Denman Chase at Newbury. He didn't need to run to his very best and his jumping was a bit fiddly at times, but he saw off challenges from Protektorat and then Hitman. He did enough to encourage hope that he will stay the extra quarter mile at Cheltenham.

L'Homme Presse, having looked good in the Fleur de Lys at Lingfield on his delayed comeback, took half a step back in going down to Pic d'Orhy in the Betfair Ascot Chase. It's possible that, even though he had looked to have done plenty of work, the Lingfield effort had taken more out of him than seemed likely at the time. His Ascot performance rather lacked spark and his jumping, tending to go left, wasn't so good as it might have been.

The race was a tactical one, Pic d'Orhy's rider Harry Cobden alive to the possibility that none of the others wanted to lead and able to steal five lengths at the start. Fluent jumping made it hard for those behind to reduce the deficit, Pic d'Orhy able to kick again three out and win unchallenged.

Given the balance of his form and his record at Cheltenham, it's probably best to judge L'Homme Presse's Gold Cup claims on other performances. Pic d'Orhy holds a Ryanair entry, but Cheltenham doesn't usually figure on his agenda, so a tilt at defending his title in the Melling Chase at Aintree seems most likely. His stable-companion Hitman could take his chance in the Ryanair, having been runner-up last season. At Newbury, he typically cruised into contention before coming up short with his finishing effort.

Edwardstone, after a poor effort tried at two and a half miles, looked revitalised under a change of tactics in the Game Spirit Chase, Newbury's second big trial race. He went with zest in front, jumped fluently and was already firmly in control when Boothill, in second, crashed out at the second-last. Repeating the tactics successfully in the Champion Chase against El Fabiolo and Jonbon will be an altogether tougher ask, but at least there is a path forward again.

Boothill looked unlikely to get that close to Edwardstone, but he was running creditably. Hopefully a second successive bad fall won't have damaged his confidence.

Ascot's second Cheltenham trial, the Reynoldstown Chase, at least had some Festival entries in it this year. However it seems likely to be a trial more in theory than practice, with the winner Henry's Friend unlikely to take up his entry in the National Hunt Chase. This was just his fourth start over fences and he's made great strides. Having had an issue with idling last time, he was fitted with cheekpieces, and there was nothing wrong with his attitude this time.

Only a seven-year-old, Henry's Friend ought to have a bright future in top handicaps, though the Mildmay at Aintree may offer a chance of a Grade 1 novice this spring.

Of the others, Kilbeg King backed up his improved effort in the Kauto Star, his showing making Il Est Francais's performance in winning that even better. Apple Away didn't quite deliver all she might, but leaves the impression the best of her is still to come over fences, with stamina, her strong suit, not really used to best effect in either of her outings in graded novices.

To return briefly to the Ascot Chase, I should mention Apple Away's stable companion Ahoy Senor. He wasn't seen to best advantage, patiently ridden and running over a trip short of his optimum. However, he was clinging on to third at the line from the outsider Sail Away and he really doesn't seem to be firing fully this winter.

Both Newbury and Ascot featured quite valuable novice hurdles, which were more interesting than competitive. At Newbury, Making Headway jumped off in front and stayed there, just shaken up on the run-in to make sure. He had finished fourth in the Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree the time before and appreciated the drop in grade. That said, his effort was another to boost the form of the first running of the Tolworth's replacement.

On the face of it, the disappointment at Newbury was the Leicester and Catterick winner Hasthing, but there are mitigating circumstances. Hasthing was dropping back to two miles for the first time over hurdles and he didn't have the pace to get into contention under a very patient ride. He was spared a hard race once it was clear he wouldn't get involved.

Hasthing is a grand type with a useful pedigree and he surely remains capable of better. He's qualified for the EBF Final and looks a likely candidate for that, though his mark won't be a lenient one, despite his wins coming at a couple of lesser tracks.

One reason for that is that Pic Roc, who chased home Hasthing at Catterick, boosted the form when scoring at Ascot at the weekend. Pic Roc has plenty about him physically and is likely to come fully into his own as a chaser, but he's clearly going the right way as a hurdler.

Pic Roc turned over the highly promising Inthewaterside. Despite his defeat, Inthewaterside, another budding chaser for next season, on demeanour as well as looks, remains worth viewing positively. He is a bit too keen for his own good at the moment – which will be helped by fences – and he sweated up badly at the start, though the impact on his performance was marginal.

In what was a good field on looks, the others to make the frame, Juventus de Brion and Vincenzo, continue to shape with promise. Juventus de Brion qualified for a handicap mark after repeating his debut third-placing, looking a stayer, and he would be worth looking out for if he makes an early switch to handicaps.

Both Newbury and Ascot also featured a bumper. The Ascot race, restricted to mares, had been given quite a boost in prize money, thanks to it being a Premier Raceday. The field wasn't necessarily that much stronger than it had been in the past, but there was plenty to like about the way Anno Power came from a poor position in a steadily-run race to quicken right away late on. She'd clearly be worth a place in the Nickel Coin at Aintree.

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Newbury's bumper, which carried Listed status, is a race with a rich history, whether this year's renewal was quite up to scratch is doubtful, those behind the winner in too much of a heap to take a high view of the form. However, the athletic winner Royal Infantry continued the good start to his career in following up his win at Doncaster on debut. He's another who might go to Aintree as no forlorn hope.

The best type in the field was Union Avenue, representing a smaller stable that has few runners at this level. He couldn't maintain his unbeaten record, but he ran with credit, just fading out of the places late on, and ought to have a future as a hurdler.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Histrionic was sent off favourite, having also been market leader when third here in November. Histrionic had looked green that day, and might still have been so, though a tendency to wander/hang is not encouraging, even at such an early stage in his career. €450,000 out of the pointing field is starting to look a tad expensive.

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