Paul Nicholls plots to relieve Captain Chris of command in Amlin Chase
Sportsdesk • Published 17 Nov 2011 17:00
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CHAMPION trainer Paul Nicholls will bid to master mind a second consecutive Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday write Rob Stevens.
But, Master Minded, a comfortable winner of last year's renewal, will have to be at his brilliant best to beat young pretenders to his Ascot crown in the shape of Captain Chris and Somersby.
The two-time champion chaser was in no danger after being left clear three fences from home 12 months ago but has since disappointed at the Cheltenham Festival and during his seasonal return at Aintree last month.
However, his supporters will be buoyed by the fact Nicholls has saddled 15 winners in the past fortnight.
The Ditcheat based handler also saddled his 2,000th winner at Down Royal in Ireland earlier this month.
Captain Chris won at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown festivals last season and would have made a winning return in the Haldon Gold Cup but for the unfortunate departure of jockey Richard Johnson from the saddle.
Philip Hobbs' stable star could land the grade two prize at the Berkshire track on his way to a crack at the King George on Boxing Day.
Somersby, third in the ante-post market at 7-2, beat Hennessy favourite Aiteen Thirtythree on his return to at Kempton in October but has already been beaten three times by Master Minded, including a narrow short-head defeat at Ascot in January.
Medermit, Kalahari King and last year's runner-up I'msingingtheblues are other notbale entries.
The highly competitive Coral Hurdle supports the feature race where Oscar Whisky winner of the grade one Aintree Hurdle during the Grand National meeting returns to action.
Third in last seasons Champion Hurdle Nicky Henderson's lightly raced six-year-old will take on Overturn and Nicholls' pair of Celestrial Halo and King Of The Kinght.
Overturn, a winner of £100,000 handicaps on the flat and over hurdles was beaten over 10 lengths by the ante-post favourite in the Champion in March.
Celestrial Halo took the Elite Hurdle on his reappearance but will find it difficult to concede weight all round to his rivals.
King Of The Knight has gone up nearly two stone in the handicap for back-to-back wins already this season but is open to any amount of improvement and could take this big step up in class in his stride.
Friday's feature is the class two Canaccord Genuity Handicap Hurdle where Berkshire-based Henderson, who has a 30% strike rate at Ascot, could saddle both Titan De Sarti and Remeber Now.
Gates open at 10:45am on both days where Friday's six-race card begins at 1:00pm and Saturday's seven-race spectacle starting at 12:25pm.
ROB STEVENS' TIPS FOR SATURDAY:
2:10pm -Captain Chris 9-4.
2:45pm - Oscar Whisky, 6-4fav.
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