Betfair Ascot Chase Odds – Horse Racing Betting February 20

Dual King George winner Silviniaco Conti will sport blinkers for the first time as he takes on seven rivals in the Betfair Ascot Chase at the Berkshire track this Saturday.

Paul Nicholls’ chaser has worn cheekpieces in his last seven races but his trainer thinks a change of headgear might help the 10-year-old cope with a drop in distance for Saturday’s Grade 1 contest, for which he is currently Paddy Power’s 3/1 favourite.

Ascot Chase History

First run in 1998, only three horses have won the Ascot Chase on more than one occasion – Tiutchev, Monet’s Garden and Riverside Theatre. It tends to favour 2m4f specialist rather than those stayers stepping down in trip though Cue Card, currently among the favourites for next month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, won it in 2013.

Silviniaco Conti will be Nicholls’ only representative following the non-declaration of Vibrato Valtat but he does have question to answer after his latest run at Kempton, where he was pulled up. He’s not run over a distance this short over fences since 2011 and can’t be getting any quicker. He is unlikely to offer much in the way of value as he may be trading on past exploits.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of the afore-mentioned Tiutchev and Riverside Theatre, is double-handed with former Hennessy winner Triolo D’Alene and recent Doncaster scorer Ma Filleule set to make the line-up. Flemenstar profited from Un De Sceaux’s fall at Leopardstown over Christmas to win the Grade 1 Paddy Power at Leopardstown but was then beaten by Felix Yonger at Punchestown and 2m seems his trip nowadays.

Amore Alato is facing a very stiff task for a novice while this looks a shade too far for Savello, though his form ties in closely with that of Flemenstar. Royal Regatta is certainly worth a second look, however, as he has been in good form over the course and distance of Saturday’s race in handicaps lately and deserves a crack at a contest like this.

DYNASTE has only beaten Silviniaco Conti once in six previous attempts but can improve those stats this weekend. David Pipe’s grey also sports blinkers for the first time but the last time he ran over this sort of trip he won the Ryanair at Cheltenham. Ignore his latest run over hurdles as he won’t given a hard time in punishing ground, he rarely runs a bad race in top company over fences and the general 7/2 should be snapped up.

Paddy Power’s Ascot Chase Odds

Silviniaco Conti (3/1), Dynaste (7/2), Ma Filleule (5/1), Royal Regatta (6/1), Triolo D’Alene and Flemenstar (7/1), Savello (16/1), Amore Alato (20/1)