Confirmed runners and riders for Saturday's Ascot Chase and the Grand National Trial at Haydock

L'Homme Presse will take on three rivals in Saturday's Betfair Ascot Chase (3.35) in what is set to be his final start before next month's Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Venetia Williams-trained nine-year-old is no bigger than 10-1 for the Cheltenham Festival showpiece event having made a successful reappearance at Lingfield last month. L'Homme Presse returned from a 391-day layoff to land the valuable Fleur de Lys Chase having unseated Charlie Deutsch at the last in the 2022 King George on his previous start.

That Kempton mishap is the only defeat L'Homme Presse has suffered on a right-handed track over fences with his sole previous visit to Ascot yielding a 13-length victory in December 2021.

L'Homme Presse returns to the same track and 2m5f trip as that Graduation Chase victory and his opposition includes last year's runner-up Pic D'Orhy and Sail Away, who is pitched into Grade 1 company for the first time by Dan Skelton.

2022 winner Fakir D'oudairies was not declared so Ahoy Senor completes the four-runner line-up for Lucinda Russell and Derek Fox, who are also represented by Apple Away in the Grade 2 Sodexo Live! Reynoldstown Novices' Chase (1.50) earlier on the card.

The Grade 1 hurdles winner receives weight from all four of her rivals, as she returns to a right-handed track for the first time since beating last Saturday's Newbury winner Makin'yourmindup by 31 lengths at Leicester in December.

On the Ascot Chase, Barry Orr spokesman for the sponsors of the £175,000 feature race, said: "‘The ante-post market was quite stagnant and with the final four going forward there is no change in the betting. L’Homme Presse, currently 4-7, is sure to go off favourite but at 5-2, Pic D’Orhy will have his share of supporters."

Ascot Chase runners and riders

Ahoy Senor Derek Fox
L'Homme Presse Charlie Deutsch
Pic D'Orhy Harry Cobden
Sail Away Harry Skelton

Betfair: 4-7 L’Homme Presse, 5-2 Pic D’Orhy, 9-2 Ahoy Senor, 25-1 Sail Away

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Ferny Hollow not declared for reappearance due to heavy ground

Cheltenham Festival winner Ferny Hollow will not make his first start for more than two years as had been the plan at Gowran Park on Saturday. 

The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old was due to run in the Red Mill Chase (3.27) but was not declared for the Grade 2 due to heavy ground according to Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud.

Ferny Hollow: misses intended comeback at Gowran Park on SaturdayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Ferny Hollow, who won the Champion Bumper in 2020, is entered in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase for which he is a 25-1 chance despite not running since winning a Grade 1 novice chase at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day 2021.

Mullins instead relies solely on Saint Sam at Gowran, with the Gordon Elliott-trained pair Embittered and Riviere D'etel among his four rivals in the 2m4f contest.

My Silver Lining takes on ten as she bids to back up Warwick heroics at Haydock

Classic Chase winner My Silver Lining will take on ten rivals as she bids to follow up her Warwick success in the Virgin Bet Grand National Trial (3.15) at Haydock.

The Emma Lavelle-trained eight-year-old is rated 5lb higher as she bids to land another marathon event in which her opposition includes the first two home in the 2021 Welsh Grand National — Iwilldoit and Highland Hunter — and Iron Bridge, the runner-up from the same Chesptow race this season.

My Silver Lining: won Warwick's Classic Chase last monthCredit: Edward Whitaker

The £100,000 contest has gone to Venetia Williams on three occasions in the last decade and she is represented by Becher Chase winner Chambard and Fontaine Collonges.

Gavin Cromwell has enjoyed an excellent season with his British runners this season with nine winners and nearly £300,000 earned in prize-money and Yeah Man will bid to provide the Navan-based trainer with his first Haydock winner.

Unlike Yeah Man, whose experience in Britain has come solely from two starts at Ascot, Famous Bridge is unbeaten at Haydock and will bid to bounce back and extend his perfect record at the track to three after being pulled up by Sean Quinlan in the Great Yorkshire Chase last time.

Caoilin Quinn could add another long-distance contest to his collection on Full Back, having landed the Welsh Grand National Trial and followed up in the main event on Nassalam in December before winning the Sussex National on Dom Of Mary last month.

Quinn also rides Salver in the Virgin Bet Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle (2.10) and Grade 2 Virgin Bet Rendlesham Hurdle (2.40) favourite Botox Has for Full Back's trainer Gary Moore.

Salver won a Chepstow Grade 2 by 21 lengths last time and heavy ground will suit as he bids to make it four out of four over hurdles against three rivals in a race his trainer has won for the last two years. 

Moore also runs Goshen in the Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle (2.05) at Wincanton, one of seven live races that will be shown on ITV along with the Premier offerings from Ascot and Haydock.

Goshen landed this Grade 2 in 2021 and 2022 but has a tough task in his hat-trick bid giving weight to Grade 2 winners Nemean Lion and Guard Your Dreams.

Rubaud (purple) and Colonel Mustard (red): leading contenders for the Kingwell HurdleCredit: Grossick Racing

Irish representative Colonel Mustard bids to reverse the form of his Scottish Champion Hurdle three-length second to Rubaud off a stone better terms. Lorcan Williams will ride Rubaud in a race for the first time with Harry Cobden at Ascot and the favourite won a similar contest over this track and trip in November’s Elite Hurdle.

Grand National Trial runners and riders

Iwilldoit Dylan Johnston (5)
Chambard Miss Lucy Turner (5)
Highland Hunter Mr Tom Broughton (7)
Iron Bridge Jonjo O'Neill Jr
Fontaine Collonges Shane Quinlan (3)
Famous Bridge Sean Quinlan
Yeah Man Sean Flanagan
Full Back Caoilin Quinn (3)
Credo Rex Dingle
My Silver Lining James Best
Snipe Tristan Durrell (3)

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