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Tanya's Blog - Saturday 22nd December

Ascot belonged to Barry Geraghty on Friday. Three rides, three winners and all with massive Cheltenham aspirations.  

Puffin Bay has that aura of a very good horse. He was hard up against the Ascot running rail two hurdles from home and went on to win by five lengths. While that was going on I was recording potential ‘Vital Statistics’ for upcoming Morning Lines with my silly silver Santa hat on.  I was just trying to get into the spirit of the festive occasion. 

The sun was shining bright as Simonsig entered the arena and despite all the shenanigans happening around him, he wasn’t fazed at all and jumped supremely well. 

He seemed perky and keen, fresh and exuberant and will be a test for any rival. He is now a best-priced 5-2 for the Arkle Trophy at the Festival in March. Hark, move over Christmas, we haven’t even had Boxing Day and the countdown to the Cheltenham Festival has begun! 

It seems I may have missed the streaker at Ascot after the last race. Shame he can’t head to South Africa to brighten up the Twenty20 that the Proteas are playing against the woeful Kiwis. I think I may be the only one attending when the Kiwis arrive on these shores in May 2013. 

Back to Ascot and the forecast for the afternoon is bleak, but I’m hopefully going to be betting without an umbrella.

At the time of writing I see Balder Succes is on a slight drift in the Ladbroke Hurdle, yet that is probably pre-empting the aggressive marketing of one of the big bookmakers as nothing except Bothy is really shortening.

Having scoured the form, ratings and ground conditions I find it hard to oppose Balder Succes, who is favourite, but I still remember watching Rattan live at Cheltenham and I did promise myself I would be on no matter what next time out 

I’m glad Haydock has survived as I don’t think you’d go far wrong mixing all the top weights together in a multiple or at least a Placepot. I am sure Able Deputy, in the 12.10 at Haydock, deserves a win for his last two efforts?!

For the record I do think it is a shrewd move by Nicky Henderson to run Master Of The Hall in the Long Walk Hurdle.  To date he has never really fulfilled his promise over the bigger fences but reverting back to hurdles he could be a contender that his rivals have not really considered or given enough respect.

Today’s tips:

3.10 Ascot: Balder Succes (+ each-way Rattan)

Today's Pointers:

Winners of Ascot’s Silver Cup are generally safe jumpers as all of the last ten winners hadn’t fallen or unseated more than once leaving Hold On Julio, Ackertac, Wyck Hill

Eight of the last ten winners of the Silver Cup were no older than eight

Barry Geraghty has had ten winners from his last 18 Ascot rides

Willie Mullins has had five winners from his last six runners

Nicky Henderson has won the Ladbroke Hurdle three times in the last eight years

Seven of the last eight winners of the Ladbroke Hurdle finished no worse than third last time out