Pic D’Orhy defended his title in the Group 1 Ascot Chase, landing back-to-back renewals last Saturday for his trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden.
The ten-year-old boasts an excellent record at Ascot with four victories including this feature last season when he was not for catching beating the re-opposing L’Homme Presse by five-and-a-half lengths.
Pic D’Orhy (Harry Cobden) successfully retained his Betfair Ascot Chase title (Pic – Ascot Racecourse)
It was a similar performance on Saturday, with Pic D’Orhy once again dominating from the front throughout the two-and-a-half-mile contest, jumping for fun before extending his lead in the home straight.
With L’Homme Presse having jumped poorly from the start and having to be pulled up around halfway, it was left to Irish challenger Corbetts Cross to put in up to the Ditcheat trained runner.
The 7/4 favourite made some headway to stay with the leader as they rounded the final bend but faded up the straight, finishing 10-lengths behind. The faster ground was of no help to him.
The Willie Mullins-trained Blue Lord stayed on to finish third.
In an interview with ITV Racing, Cobden said: “It’s brilliant. He’s not the most straightforward, he’ll take the odd fence with him if you allow it to happen, but he’s a great horse, we’ve had so many good days with him. Really enjoyed that.”
“I looked at the big screen halfway round and I knew all I had to do was stay in the saddle.”
“The stable had a slow start, but these horses are starting to come alright. I think we’ll have a good spring.”
Nicholls added: “We all have peaks and troughs, and it hasn’t gone right since Christmas for us for various reasons and you’ve just got to keep believing in the horses and what you do. I knew Pic D’Orhy was right today, and he looked great and just put them to the sword. I’d say that’s probably a career best run from him, and he’s 10.”
“He loves it round here; it’s the sort of race that suits him. He won’t go to Cheltenham; we’ll get him right for Aintree again and try and get him in the top four.”
Up at Wincanton, the well-backed Golden Ace (6/5 favourite) stayed on the stronger from the final obstacle to deny Burdett Road by three-quarters of a length and land the Kingwell Hurdle.
Jeremy Scott’s seven-year-old mare beat Champion Hurdle bound Brighterdaysahead in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival but failed to reproduce that form in her first two starts this term.
She returned to winning ways on Saturday after being dropped back down in trip to two miles for this Group 2 feature.
