Richards rag has great chance to spring an upset

BACKING horses returning from a big layoff obviously carries risks, but I’ve long thought has the raw talent to be at least as good at God’s Own and Dodging Bullets and if Nicky Richards has him fit and well enough he’s a crazy price for the Stella Artois 1965 Chase (2.05) at Ascot this afternoon.

Any of his last three runs, which include a second in the Peterborough Chase and fourth in the 2015 Ryanair when he would have been closer but for thumping the last, will require a career-best from God’s Own to give him 10lb.

Obviously we don’t know how fit he is, but it’s long way for Richards to send a horse just for a run and he is a rare visitor to Ascot, having run only three chasers there since Monet’s Garden gave him his last win in 2010.