Five horses to thrive in heavy ground at Ascot and Haydock

Racing may often be a game of weights and measures but when the mud really flies in the deepest midwinter it often pays to stick with specialist performers. Here are five runners set to feature on ITV4 this afternoon that have proved they thrive on a heavy track.

Kobrouk
1.50 Ascot

Topweight Kobrouk is of interest in the Plymouth Gin Handicap Chase given he has only had two starts in Britain.

The eight-year-old was previously trained in France by Guillaume Macaire and he was a consistent performer at Auteuil, where the going is often extremely deep.

The Paris temple of jump racing is a true test of stamina and Kobrouk proved he could cope with it on many occasions, including when second in the Grade 1 Prix Ferdinand Dufaure in 2015.

Nicky Henderson has suffered plenty of holdups with the son of Saint Des Saints since he arrived but these conditions should allow him to get into a good rhythm.

2.40 Haydock

Haydock is a specialist track, particularly when the ground is heavy, which is usually the case in the Tommy Whittle.

In-form trainer Richard Hobson must be confident Lord Du Mesnil has what it takes for the test, as he bravely made all in heavy ground at Newcastle last time.

A horse on the improve, the six-year-old will carry just 10st 8lb with Paul O'Brien once again claiming 3lb.

3.00 Ascot

A recent win in the Welsh Grand National Trial at Chepstow provided more evidence that Acting Lass thrives when the mud flies.

Everything happened a bit fast for him over the Silver Trophy course and distance in the Sodexo Gold Cup but if you look back to his novice days, Acting Lass outpointed Kilcrea Vale at the track on very soft ground.

Acting Lass pictured beating Kilcrea Vale at the trackCredit: Mark Cranham

Trainer Harry Fry observed on Friday: "The key for him is slow ground and it certainly looks like that's what we’ll get."

3.15 Haydock

While Chti Balko hacked up in similar conditions at Bangor on his last start, the subsequent actions of the handicapper have left Poetic Rhythm, a Grade 1 winner as a novice hurdler, with far less weight to concede than might have been the case at any stage in recent memory.

Fergal O'Brien scrapped chasing after two starts last season and if he has Poetic Rhythm ready to fire first time out after a 13 month absence – in ground conditions reminiscent of his Challow Hurdle success in December 2017 – he could be tough to peg back.

3.35 Ascot

These are not conditions in which anyone would relish being burdened with top weight but there is no doubt that Monsieur Lecoq will be among the least inconvenienced by the persistent rain that has fallen at Ascot.

He broke his maiden at Ffos Las on heavy ground and has only once been asked to race on anything quicker than soft by trainer Jane Williams.

Monsieur Lecoq and Lizzie Kelly clear away from the last in the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in NovemberCredit: Edward Whitaker

While the market has focused on unexposed types lower down the weights, Monsieur Lecoq has a definite class edge and it would be no surprise to see him feature in the finish.

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