The eye-catching horses on Ascot's Long Walk undercard - including one Harry Wilson can't wait to see in handicap company

The Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle is the highlight on a card at Ascot which also features Grand National favourite Iroko and Champion Hurdle dark horse Alexei, but the undercard shouldn't be missed. Racing Post tipster Harry Wilson has picked out a few runners of interest from the remainder of the card.

Karen Codd Novices' Handicap Hurdle (1.15 Ascot)

I've been waiting for Mount Gay Run to line-up in a handicap hurdle since he moved to Dan Skelton and this 2m7½f event for novices looks a great spot for him to record a first win.

The seven-year-old had only two starts for Paul Nicholls and just three for Keiran Burke and is making his second start for Skelton, who likely had a good gauge of his new recruit's ability through Honky Tonk Highway, who beat Mount Gay Run in a Listed contest at Sandown in December before going down by a nose to subsequent Albert Bartlett third Derryhassen Paddy at Windsor next time.

Dan Skelton on Mount Gay Run: "The step up in trip will really help. He'll have a good chance"Credit: Edward Whitaker

Mount Gay Run finished second in a 2m maiden hurdle at Southwell last month on his debut for Skelton, looking to be readily outpaced by the winner three out before staying on well on the run-in to take second. That form looks solid, with the winner going in again on Monday and the third now rated 117 having gone close behind Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly since.

There is every chance Mount Gay Run may have needed his first start in 283 days and he's likely to improve further for this longer trip. His pedigree certainly suggests that, given he's from the family of smart stayers Muirhead and Thomas Darby.

Trainer's view: Dan Skelton: "He's in good form. He's had one run for us, finishing a good second in a maiden hurdle at Southwell. The step up in trip will really help, and he's done a lot of work since Southwell. He'll have a good chance."

Howden Handicap Chase (1.50 Ascot)

The phrase 'built like a chaser' is bandied about quite a bit, but Issam has proved you don't have to be the biggest to have a career over fences.

A useful hurdler, the seven-year-old made a winning debut over fences in a 2m3f novice handicap chase at Exeter in January, taking the notable scalp of Pic Roc, before finding the drop in trip against him when beaten just a neck by track specialist Xcitations at Sandown in February.

Issam looked better than ever on his return from 275 days off at Wetherby last time, travelling comfortably throughout and looking value for a lot more than the winning margin of a length and a quarter suggests, given he idled on the run-in after hitting the front before the last.

He produced a career-best Racing Post Rating that day, with the step back up in trip and return to softer ground suiting him well. A 5lb higher mark doesn't look beyond him.

Trainer's view: Tom Symonds: "He's been in good form since Wetherby, which was a lovely win for him. I'm hoping the ground is going to be on the softer side. It's a nice race for him, hopefully they'll go a good gallop and he can finish like he did at Wetherby."

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Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase (3.00 Ascot)

A disastrous start ended a few runners' hopes in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury last month, and one of the worst affected was Pic Roc, who was slow into stride from a standing position and ended up in a share of last.

It's to his credit that he made up plenty of ground from the rear to finish fifth in a race that was dominated by those who raced more prominently. Given he was the subject of good support for that race, it's likely he is thought capable of landing a good pot.

The seven-year-old, who easily dominated a small-field non-handicap at Huntingdon the start before, is one from one at Ascot and could still be open to improvement.

Victtorino won the Howden Silver Cup 12 months agoCredit: Mark Cranham

It's not just one horse of interest though, as you can't talk about the Silver Cup without including the Venetia Williams-trained Victtorino, who has won the race for the last two years.

Those victories are two of four wins from his five starts at Ascot, the last of which came in the Swinley Handicap Chase over this distance in February. A 1lb drop for his reappearance defeat in the Coral Gold Cup leaves him on his last winning mark, and there have been positive signs about the form of the Williams stable recently.

Rider's view: Ben Jones (Pic Roc): "It was a really hard decision to choose between Pic Roc and Henry's Friend. I've gone with Pic Roc for a couple of reasons; first, he's been in great form this year, he finished fifth in the Coral Gold Cup last time out, which was a massive run, and if he's anywhere near that this weekend he shouldn't be too far away. He's got no weight on his back either, and if the rain comes I'd like to think he'll play a big part in this race."

Read more:

The Long Walk could reveal a new staying star - and I fancy it's one lurking at a big price 

An inch of rain, record GoingStick readings and a course discrepancy: what Friday's racing told us about the ground at Ascot 

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