Coral Cup third Who Dares laid out for race with 'fantastic chance'

Henry Ponsonby does not miss many of racing's big occasions, but negotiating the hustle and bustle of Chester Cup day to support his two Alan King-trained runners in the big race 48 hours after a hip replacement is a bridge too far, even for him.

Ponsonby will be watching Who Dares Wins and First Mohican from his hospital bed at the Nuffield Manor in Oxford, and he reckons the syndicate-owned runners – ridden by weighing room 'couple' Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle – both have good chances.

He is especially keen on Marquand's mount Who Dares Wins, who in a far from traditional precursor to the Chester Cup was last seen finishing third in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.

Ponsonby, who has already taken a few steps but will probably be kept in hospital until the weekend, said: "I think we've got very good chances. Who Dares Wins won at Chester last year, when he came from last to first in six strides, and we've had this in mind ever since. He's been laid out for the race and his Coral Cup third speaks for itself.

"I think he's got a fantastic chance, but we thought we might not get in as 15 had been declared with 45 minutes still to go on Monday, and if another two had come in we'd have been out of the race. It was very sweaty!"

While Who Dares Wins is nicely placed in stall seven, the draw has not been so kind to First Mohican in 17. Ponsonby is not unduly pessimistic, however, and said: "He ran a blinder at Chester on Ebor day last year when Hollie couldn't claim, and he's been second in a Cesarewitch too, so he's not without a chance."

It is not the first time Ponsonby has had more than one runner in a big handicap, but this is a big day even by his standards.

He said: "I've had two in the Cesarewitch before, but the last time I had two in such a big race was at Royal Ascot with Tiger Cliff and Lieutenant Miller, second and third in the 2013 Ascot Stakes."

Just the slightest improvement upon those placings and Ponsonby will be jumping for joy – even with his replacement hip.