There's ITV action from Ascot on Friday and top commentator Simon Holt has a couple of strong fancies on the card.
FLEGMATIK didn't have the best of luck in running before finishing fifth at Sandown last month when hampered by a falling horse and jockey at the second last, and can prove a big player in the Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Ascot on Friday.
Whether Dan Skelton's fine, strapping type was an unlucky loser that day is doubtful as, while it was impossible to recover in time from such a late setback, he looked a bit weary from halfway up the run-in.
The form of the Sandown race has worked out well with both the winner Sevarano and runner-up Mahlervous winning since, but this drop in trip from two-and-a-half miles to two-miles-and-a-furlong should suit Flegmatik, whose form over hurdles was at the minimum trip.
Clearly he gets further than two miles which will be important in what could be testing conditions and his jumping, a trademark of Skelton's novices, looks very good.
A previous chasing debut defeat of Whoshotthesherrif was a promising start (the runner-up won next time at Carlisle) and, while he ran well against the likes of Song For Someone, Fransham and Main Fact over hurdles, Flegmatik is made for bigger obstacles.
Earlier, ZYON is fancied to build on last month's Wincanton novice success in the ITV7 £100k Jackpot On Boxing Day Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.
The Paul Nicholls-trained grey has been very lightly-raced but looks like a horse who would have needed plenty of time anyway and, despite more than a year's absence, he dominated his rivals from the front on the Somerset course before staying on strongly to beat Beyond The Pale and De Young Warrior.
That form could be quite decent; fourth-placed Cap St Vincent is rated 126, De Young Warrior ran well again at Warwick next time and Beyond The Pale had previously beaten the subsequent Ascot and Sandown winner Fifty Ball (now rated 131) at Fontwell.
Off an opening handicap mark of 124 with Lorcan Williams taking off 3lb, Zyon could be well treated and this stiff test should suit as he shapes like a future three-mile chaser.
Posted at 1540 GMT on 17/12/20
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