AT THE RACES Stick with Pic at Ascot

PIC d’Orhy can begin to fulfil his potential over fences with victory in the Sky Bet Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot tomorrow.

Having met with defeat on his first two chase starts, it has not been plain sailing for the five-year-old so far this season.

However, he is very much a work in progress and the signs are there that the best is yet to come.

He stumbled at both the third and second last obstacles when a beaten odds-on favourite in a three-horse affair won by Le Patriote on his fencing debut at Market Rasen.

A much-improved run was on the cards over this course and distance last month until he came down three fences from home. Pic d’Orhy was travelling ominously well in the lead when his race ended prematurely.

It is far too early to give up on him and trainer Paul Nicholls will no doubt have given him plenty of schooling to restore his confidence.

No Ordinary Joe bids to continue Nicky Henderson’s excellent recent record in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices’ Hurdle.

The Seven Barrows handler has saddled three of the last six winners of this Grade Two contest – and with his ante-post favourite Dusart not declared, he instead relies on No Ordinary Joe in this year’s renewal.

Wonderwall also raised a few eyebrows when landing a bumper on his racecourse bow on this track four weeks ago.

The son of four-time Ascot Gold Cup hero Yeats had to dig deep to hold off the persistent challenge of Hamilton’s Fantasy by half a length. He can back that up when he steps to Listed company for the Enter ITV7 Tonight Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.