Last year’s winner Pic D’Orhy defends his title in the Gr2 Silviniaco Conti Chase (16h07) at Kempton today.
The eight-time winning chaser takes on four rivals, including fellow Group 1 stars Edwardstone and Banbridge.
Pic D’Orhy eased to a 16-length success in the Coral-sponsored feature last year before going on to win at the highest level in Aintree’s Melling Chase at the end of the season.
The Paul Nicholls runner made a fine return to action when an easy winner of the 1965 Chase at Ascot in November and attempts to become the first back-to-back winner of the race.
He faces a tough task with multiple Group 1 winner Edwardstone in the field. The Alan King trained runner was no match for Jonbon in the Tingle Creek last month, and now steps up four furlongs in trip which could be what he needs now a ten-year-old.
Irish raider Banbridge looks a bigger threat. Younger than his two market rivals, the eight-year-old hails from the Joseph O’Brien stable who is in fine form at present. A winner of three of his five steeplechases, he has not been seen since winning the Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree in April. Prior to that he was second to El Fabiolo in the Irish Arkle, form strong enough to be involved on Saturday.
Earlier on the day, Wetherby racecourse hosts the Gr2 William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase (15h10) over two and a half miles. The track is forecast to remain soft.
Six progressive sorts line up with the Jamie Snowden trained Colonel Harry catching the eye. The Gavin Sheehan ridden seven-year-old got going too late in the Gr1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown last month, beaten a diminishing length and a quarter by Le Patron. He is a real mudlark with two victories to go with that Group 1 runner-up placing on soft to heavy ground, so will relish the ground conditions.
The third Group 2 on Saturday is the Trustatrader Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick (16h24) over three miles.
A small field of five, but a fascinating contest. Broadway Boy, unlucky to be narrowly beaten by Flooring Porter at Cheltenham on his penultimate start, would otherwise be four from four chasing has to give the quality Lucinda Russell trained mare Apple Away 12lbs.
Add in the Skelton’s Grey Dawning to the mix and this contest could be the highlight of the weekend.
