There are several races in Berkshire in addition to the big events, but Scarface Ascot hosts the Long Walk Hurdle on Saturday before the hectic holiday schedule the following week. First up is the Class 2 Howden Handicap Chase, which is a wide-open race with Kotmask, Scarface, and Galop De Chasse as near co-favorites.
Scarface made significant progress last time out, finishing second behind Le Patron at Newbury, while Galop De Chasse finished third. Compared to his resurfacing opponent, he is far less exposed and has dropped to this risky weight, which he can use here, where he has significantly previously prevailed.
Fil Dor
A four-runner race can have a high price tag, particularly this one with Iroko, who hasn’t won in three runs, and James Du Berlais, who hasn’t won since January 2023. Despite struggling toward the end of the previous season, Fil Dor appears to have genuine potential at the age of six.
However, he has since recovered, finishing a respectable second behind Saint Sam before winning handily as the 1/40 favorite the last time around. Despite weighing seven pounds more, this horse was just behind Dinoblue at Naas and, a month later, not far from El Fabiolo at Cork.
Combination Exacta: Crambo, Hiddenvalley Lake, and Strong Leader
Crambo, who was rated 142 last year, won this year by a slim margin over Paisley Park before being increased by 15 pounds. With two lackluster efforts at Cheltenham and Aintree in March and April, he hasn’t been playing well since.
He will benefit from a period where he can be somewhat optimistic, but there is a risk involved. After his near performance at Aintree in the Liverpool Hurdle, which Strong Leader won, Hiddenvalley Lake is very appealing because he is still relatively unexposed to this kind of distance and may recover better from his summer vacation.
Even though Strong Leader won the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last month, he is still a far better value at 9/1 than the favorite, with whom he has close form. The fact that he was just a 4/7 shot the last time out after a remarkable victory in the Liverpool Hurdle, where he was tipped at 8/1, shows how brilliant those wins have been.
The highlight of the day is always these long-distance hurdle competitions, and this one should be no exception. With opportunities from both sides of the field, it should be an exciting battle to the finish line.
The value is with Hiddenvalley Lake, but this kind of race is ideal for an exacta or trifecta play too with the horses mentioned for a much bigger payout given the money is spread out across the field.
Recognize Their five-year-old grey gelding, Be Aware, made a fantastic effort to finish second on his seasonal debut, narrowly behind Burdett Road, and Dan and Harry Skelton are in outstanding form this season.
The horse displayed excellent form behind Helnwein and Kamsinas in Spring 2024, which validated his abilities and even suggested that he would become better over the summer. Since he made his debut in a field of 16, they will be eager to bring this horse out in front once more after four second-place finishes.
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