Coney the Island ace in Ascot’s Chase pack
CONEY ISLAND can start to realise his true potential by emerging victorious in what appears to be a vintage renewal of the Betfair Ascot Chase at the Berkshire venue tomorrow.
Eddie Harty lost on out some valuable time with this seven-year-old as his novice campaign was brought to an early end last term following an injury setback.
Prior to his lengthy spell on the sidelines, Coney Island had been right amongst the top rank, winning the Drinmore before being beaten just half a length by Our Duke in a Grade One at Leopardstown.
He was then off the track for nearly a year before returning with victory at Ascot in December, making a slow start before eventually cruising home by nine lengths once he got warmed up.
Clearly that race hardly bares comparison with this event, but Coney Island would be expected to progress for that outing and this two miles and five furlongs certainly seemed to suit.
As he stays further, the testing ground should not be an issue and Coney Island can graduate to the top level in full company.
Anthony Honeyball has had his eye on the Sodexo Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase for Ms Parfois ever since she won at Warwick last month.
The seven-year-old has won three of her four chase outings now and she shaped particularly well at Warwick, racing handily before winning with the minimum of fuss by five lengths.
Soft ground brings out the best in this mare and with a handy allowance, she can claim a landmark Grade Two verdict.
The Dutchman will have plenty on his plate against Blaklion in the Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock, but he can account for the Aintree favourite.
Colin Tizzard’s runner revelled in heavy ground when running out a wide-margin winner of the Peter Marsh Chase at the track last month and given that was just his seventh outing over fences, it would not be unreasonable to say there could be a bit more still to come.
He will be getting 13lb from Blaklion here and with crack northern jockey Danny Cook in the plate, he could just puncture the reputation of the National market leader, who also hit the buffers in this race last year. BORN TO FINISH (7) J Osborne 5 9-10 (BF, CD2) ...... D Costello GLORY OF PARIS (156) B Millman 4 9-9 (C) ............. W Carson NEZAR (24) D Ivory 7 9-8 (D3) ................................ J Duern (3) BAHAMIAN HEIGHTS (27) P McEntee 7 9-7 (BF, D4).. D Brock PROFESSOR (161)WKnight89-7(D4) .................... MHarley MAJOR VALENTINE (21) J G O’Shea 6 9-5 (CD3) ..... Fran Berry PULSATING (16) Archie Watson 4 9-1 (CD2) ............ E Greatrex BIG LACHIE (17)DLoughnane49-0(D) ................. BenCurtis KINGLAMI (21) J G O’Shea 9 9-0 (C, D5) ...... Josephine Gordon RED TYCOON (21) K C-Brown 6 9-0 (D2) .............. K Shoemark INLAWED (21) Ed Walker 4 8-13 (CD2) .................. R Kingscote DEEDS NOT WORDS (7) M Wigham 7 8-8 (CD) ......... F Norton BETTING: 11-4 Pulsating, 4 Born To Finish, 6 Major Valentine, 8 Inlawed, 10 Nezar, 12 Glory of Paris, Bahamian Heights, 14 Big Lachie, 16 Others. (32) D Ivory 5 9-7 (CD) ............................ J Duern (3) (44) M Channon 5 9-6 (D3) ............... C Bishop (80) M Meade 4 9-6 ........................ A Kirby (8)CFellowes69-4(BF) .................... SDonohoe (88) C Dwyer 4 8-12 ................. Nicola Currie (5) (43) M Wigham 5 8-11 (D) ................ F Norton (21) A Balding 5 8-11 ............. J Watson (7) (8) D M Simcock 5 8-9 (CD) .................... C Shepherd (3) (22) J Given 4 8-9 (D2) ...................... B McHugh (33) Miss G Kelleway 5 8-8 (D) ..... J Gordon BETTING: 3 Lucymai, 4 Carolinae, 9-2 Summer Icon, 8 Rose Berry, Cartographer, 10 Lady Perignon, Veena, 14 Dusky Maid, 16 Others. Poppy Bridgwater (7) (24) L Carter 7 9-5 (CD) ....... C Bennett (3) (250) J Butler 4 9-3 (C) .................................. A Kirby (22) M Blanshard 4 9-2 ................ Fran Berry (24) D Steele 6 9-0 (CD) ........................................ K Fox (22) A Carroll 5 8-9 (CD) .......................... W Carson (12) D C Griffiths 12 8-7 (CD3) .... Nicola Currie (5) (22) M Usher 5 8-7 ............................................. R Tate (14) J Long 10 8-7 ...................... Hollie Doyle BETTING: 2 Kafeel, 4 Deleyll, 11-2 Sir Jamie, 7 No Approval, 10 First Experience, 12 Feel The Vibes, 14 Mette, 16 Tabla, Cyflymder, 25 Trust Me Boy. (18) P Chamings 4 9-8 .................... J Haynes (30) D O’Meara 4 9-7 ............................... M Harley (22) P Phelan 4 9-4 (CD) ... P Bradley (5) (84) B Barr 4 9-3 ........... J Osborn (7) (10) D Loughnane 5 9-1 .................. L Keniry (3) J Bridger 8 8-13 (CD) .................. A Beech (7) (38) K C-Brown 8 8-8 (D2) ....... Hollie Doyle (23) Mrs I G-Leveque 5 8-7 ............... P Mathers (21) A Carroll 5 8-7 ................... Nicola Currie (5) (43) Martin Smith 4 8-7 ........................ D Brock BETTING: 7-4 Presence Process, 3 Lord Murphy, 6 Mister Freeze, 10 Cloud Nine, 12 Eddiebet, Annoushka, 14 Aye Aye Skipper, 16 Bookmaker, 20 Others. COMPLETION (29) W Haggas 9-9 ........................... J Fanning MEWTOW (59) G Scott 9-9 (CD) .............................. Fran Berry ACQUIRER (113) R Hughes 9-2 ................................ S W Kelly DE MEDICI Archie Watson 9-2 ............................... E Greatrex FROZEN BERE (24) G Baker 9-2 ................................ L Keniry GAVI DI GAVI A King 9-2 ......................................... M Harley GUARDIOLA M Bell 9-2 .............................. Jacob Mitchell (7) NOBLE GESTURE J Chapple-Hyam 9-2 .............. P Bradley (5) ZENITH ONE (22) S Durack 9-2 ............................ R Kingscote BRIGHT SAFFRON (18) G Scott 8-11 ........................ R Havlin PERFECT REFUGE C Cox 8-11 ................................. H Crouch SNOW MOBILE Mrs L Mongan 8-11 ............... C Shepherd (3) BETTING: 7-4 Completion, 5-2 Mewtow, 8 Perfect Refuge, 10 De Medici, 12 Guardiola, 14 Zenith One, 16 Gavi Di Gavi, Acquirer, 20 Others. (93) C Dwyer 4 9-9 (D2) (27) D Shaw 7 9-7 (D11) (14) M Attwater 5 9-4 (D2) (8) Archie Watson 9 9-4 (BF, C, D4) Pierre-Louis Jamin (7) (14) R Harris 6 9-3 (D4) ...................... T Clark (3) (124) K C-Brown 9 9-1 (D6) ........ K Shoemark (7) D C Griffiths 9 8-12 (CD4) ....... Fran Berry (11) J Butler 7 8-8 (D7) .......................... R P Walsh (7) (17) J Tuite 6 8-7 (CD3) .................. W Cox (5) BETTING: 11-4 Captain Lars, 9-2 Dynamo Walt, 5 Brother Tiger, 6 Arzaak, 7 Just That Lord, 10 Union Rose, 12 Waseem Faris, Piazon, 16 Zipedeedodah. KINGSTON KURRAJONG (168) W Knight 5 9-9 (D) . M Harley 78 PHOSPHORESCENCE (200) G Scott 8 9-7 (C, D2).F Yarham (7) 73 ARSENIO LUPIN (211) D P Quinn 4 9-7 ................. H Burns (7) — HAPPY ESCAPE (24) N Mulholland 4 9-6 (CD2) .... K Shoemark 79 DANGEROUS ENDS (78) B Johnson 4 9-6 (BF, CD3)C Shepherd (3)80 BLUFF CRAG (21)PMcBride59-5(CD) .................. SDonohoe 78 STORMINGIN D Cantillon 5 9-1 (D) ............................. A Kirby — CHETAN (84) C Wallis 6 9-1 (CD) .............................. D Muscutt 78 LAVA LIGHT (15) Eve J-Houghton 4 9-0 ..................... C Bishop 19 PEACE OFFICER (7) D P Quinn 5 8-12 ......................... D Brock 80 FREDDY WITH A Y J R Jenkins 8 8-7 (C) .......................... K Fox 81 BETTING: 11-4 Happy Escape, 9-2 Dangerous Ends, 6 Kingston Kurrajong, 7 Phosphorescence, 10 Bluff Crag, Stormingin, 12 Lava Light, Arsenio Lupin, Chetan, 20 Others. FATHER AILBE (36) J Butler 9-9 (BF) ......................... L Keniry MOUCHEE (14) P Evans 9-9 ......................................... A Kirby GENUINELY CROWDED (21)JOsborne9-8 ............ JFanning GLOBAL ANGEL (9) E Dunlop 9-7 ............................. R Havlin GOOD IMPRESSION (22) Ali Stronge 9-5 ........... K Shoemark FOUR FIFTY THREE (163) M Tompkins 9-1 ............... J Haynes DORIAN GRAY (68) H Morrison 8-12 .................. C Bennett (3) FORRICHERFORPOORER (9) W Knight 8-10 ........ E Greatrex VOICE OF DUBAI (21) H Palmer 8-8 .................. N Garbutt (3) SEASEARCH (9) A Balding 8-7 ................................. W Cox (5) KEYNOTE (12) D C Griffiths 8-2 ............................... P Mathers ROSE OF SHIRAZ (44) J S Moore 8-2 ................... Hollie Doyle BETTING: 7-2 Global Angel, 4 Good Impression, 6 Father Ailbe, 7 Mouchee, 8 Voice Of Dubai, 10 Genuinely Crowded, 12 Forricherforpoorer, Dorian Gray, Four Fifty Three, 20 Others.