Can bridesmaid Dubawi Fifty finally win a big pot in Mullins-less Ascot Stakes?

Ascot Stakes | 2m4f | 4yo+ | ITV/SKY

Absent from Ascot this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, Willie Mullins has won four of the last eight runnings of this marathon test and in 2018 was responsible for four of the first five home.

The Karen McLintock-trained Dubawi Fifty was the odd one out when second to Lagostovegas that year and, having missed Ascot last year only to miss out agonisingly in the Northumberland Plate, is back for another try.

Despite Mullins missing out, fans of jump racing still have plenty of familiar names to consider. The race has fallen to a horse with winning hurdles form every year between 2010 and 2018.

Verdana Blue: Grade 1 winner at home at Seven BarrowsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Nicky Henderson fields the classy Verdana Blue, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles and a deserved topweight who finished fourth in the Sagarao Stakes to Dee Ex Bee in 2019.

Coeur De Lion has produced two fine efforts in each of the last two years and represents Alan King, while Paul Nicholls attempts to produce a rabbit from his hat with chaser San Benedeto, whose most recent start on the Flat was under Christophe Soumillon in November 2013.

The Grand Visir broke the stranglehold of jumpers in this 12 months ago and his trainer, Ian Williams, saddles Blue Laureate and Mancini, who finished second and fourth behind the reopposing Moon King at Haydock eight days ago.

What they say

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Verdana Blue
Stamina-wise, two and a half miles is the unknown bit. Unless they get torrential overnight rain, the ground should be ideal. She was supposed to run in the Champion Hurdle but it was too soft and it would have been pointless. We had Aintree or Punchestown plans but everything came to an end. She loves good ground and she's in good form. She's got to give a bit of weight away but we're hopeful.

Karen McLintock, trainer of Dubawi Fifty
I was in two minds over whether to concentrate on the Northumberland Plate this year but with the ground being decent, I thought we'd try Ascot again. I wouldn't want it to get any firmer, that'd be a worry. He's in good form and he's given us some great times, I just hope he can manage to bag a good one after hitting the bar so many times. I'm very happy with him and he pleased me in a racecourse gallop. At least Mr Mullins isn't over!

Dubawi Fifty at Karen McLintock's yard

Ian Williams, trainer of Mancini and Blue Laureate
Mancini ran a very competitive first start for us at Haydock last week. Under normal circumstances he would improve for the run, although this is a little bit tight time-wise. He should appreciate the trip and goes to the race in what appears to be very good form. Blue Laureate ran a cracker in the same race and meets the horse that beat him [Moon King] on slightly better terms. He would appreciate any rain that might come Ascot's way.

Harry Bentley, rider of Moon King
He's an incredibly consistent type and he won well at Haydock last week. He's a game horse and there should be no problem stepping him up to two-mile four.

William Butler, assistant to Sir Mark Prescott, trainer of Land Of Oz
He's come out of Chelmsford well having run a good race there. He's up in trip but he won the Cesarewich trial so he will stay. He'll be fine on the ground and he was very progressive last year so we're hopeful of a big run. He had a little look where the horses cross the track but he just lost his concentration and other than that, he's very straightforward.

Alan King, trainer of Coeur De Lion
I think he's feasibly weighted and he's run well in this the last couple of years. We've popped the visor on him for the first time – he normally wears cheekpieces – so whether we can squeeze another couple of pounds of improvement out of him, we're trying anyway. He's in good form, Thore came and rode him a bit of work at the weekend and he takes a few pounds off.

Tony Carson, trainer of Pianissimo
You've got to be on the front at Chelmsford and we were always going to be out the back so it wasn't ideal. He doesn't do an awful lot at home and is pretty laid back. Ideally we'd have got two runs into him but obviously that's not been possible. He's bouncing now, it's just a case of whether he's absolutely bang on, but that's where we are.

David Simcock, trainer of Smart Champion
It's a race we've been looking forward to. He's an extreme stayer and will benefit from no rain. He needed every yard of the trip at Newcastle the last day. It's a stiff track there too and he was still staying on when plenty were struggling. We're looking forward to it.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of San Benedeto
It was too wet for him for most of the winter and the main idea is to give him a run before the Summer Plate at Market Rasen. He's a maiden on the Flat and I'm sure he could probably win somewhere on fast ground over two miles off a mark of 85 but Market Rasen is the plan. He's fit and well and you never know.

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