'The trainer often starts out his best chasing prospects at Ascot' - Keith Melrose picks apart an intriguing novice handicap

This contest is an opportunity to spend time with some promising novice chasers. It has produced recent winners like Brave Seasca and Greaneteen from fields not much bigger than four, and there is significant potential in those who have turned up this year.

Homme Public is a Grade 2 winner, but that tells nothing like the full story, as he was the beneficiary of JPR One falling at the last at Cheltenham last time. Time comparisons with the course-and-distance handicap half an hour earlier suggested a performance in the low-140s on Racing Post Ratings. That is below average for a Grade 2, albeit reasonable for a horse set to run off a BHA mark of 139.

If we are talking pure ability, Homme Public may find it hard to give 10lb to Persian Time. This horse did most of his best work over hurdles at this track and made a promising start over fences at Newbury's Coral Gold Cup meeting. He tired there, having pulled hard, but travelled smoothly into the race. That run will need to have taken the fizz out of him, as Ascot's chase course punishes those who have burned up energy early on.

Persian Time (right) on his way to a debut success at Ascot last NovemberCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The complicating factor is Authorised Speed, who could be the best treated of them all. He is on RPRs, if you assume he can bring his hurdles form to fences. He won readily in lower grades, including twice at Sandown, and was beaten only when he was thrown into Grade 1s. 

This is Authorised Speed's first run since the Grand National meeting. There is likely to be some intent behind him making his chase debut here. Trainer Gary Moore often starts out his best chasing prospects at Ascot and saddled Editeur Du Gite to be second in this race three years ago.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

What they say

Oliver Greenall, joint-trainer of Homme Public
He was gifted the win at Cheltenham last time but we think he's still improving. He's dropping in class but the ground will really suit and he'll like the track too as it'll help him get into a nice rhythm.

Homme Public winning Cheltenham's Arkle trial in NovemberCredit: John Grossick

Gary Moore, trainer of Authorised Speed
I'm very much looking forward to getting him over fences. He's schooled well and I'm very happy with him. He's not short of speed and I just could have done with the ground being a bit softer.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Lallygag
He'd need to improve on his last run, but he jumped round nicely and will have improved for it. He probably wants further, but it's a small field so I thought I'd let him take his chance.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Persian Time
You would hope he's taken a step forward. He's quite free-going and just needed to learn to settle a little bit, which he did at Newbury. Ascot as a novice chase track is tricky, it takes a bit of jumping. But he schooled this morning [Thursday] and he was very good.
Reporting by Scott Burton

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