Ascot on Saturday

While the majority of the working world are preparing for some well-earned rest over the Christmas and New Year period, the racing calendar really ramps up with some great action both in the United Kingdom and Ireland to look forward to.

I’m at Ascot on Saturday for five good rides and I’d have to say my best chance of victory is Thomas Patrick  in the Silver Cup (3.00pm).

It’s a little bit of a retrieval mission after his performance at Newbury last time out, but he’s been working brilliantly at home and it would be no surprise to see him return to his best.

I still think he’s a really promising staying chaser and if he had put in a better performance in that race last time, he probably would have been a short-priced favourite this weekend.

My first ride of the day comes on Ballygown Boy for Philip Hobbs in the handicap hurdle (12.40pm) and you’d have to think he’d have a strong each-way chance.

He has run consistently well of late, without ever really being able to land a blow. He has lacked the speed compared with some of the others at the latter stages of the race.

This step up in trip should hopefully see him in a better light. He is really straightforward and genuine and won’t have any issues with the ground.

Royal Regatta  (1.50pm) is a horse that has won at Ascot in the past, but he disappointed first time up after a wind operation a month ago.

Hopefully he’ll have gained a bit of confidence in time for this second run of the season. He has fallen down the handicap a bit and would have an each-way chance.

I ride The Mighty Don  in the super competitive JLT Hurdle (2.25pm). He won an equally competitive race at Cheltenham in October and subsequently went close at Newbury.

This is another step up and he’s up against some very talented horses.

Unowhatimeanharry and Call Me Lord look the obvious dangers having both won last time out, but I’m confident he’ll put in a bold performance.

My final ride of the day is Western Ryder  (3.35pm), who is a horse I know very well. He ran much better last time out and is due to go up 5lbs for that.

He should go close, but it’s a really decent race with some strong entries. Jolly’s Cracked It looks likely to go off favourite and quite rightly following his win at Ascot last month.

But a few come here with chances and I know trainer Olly Murphy, who won this in 2017 with Hunters Call, really likes his runner Fiesole.

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