Nicholls’ consistent chaser looks ready to score for Sir Alex in Silver Cup thriller

GIVE ME A COPPER is fancied to carry Sir Alex Ferguson’s silks to victory in the Dave Dawes Silver Cup Handicap Chase (3.00) at Ascot this afternoon.

That the son of Presenting hasn’t been an easy horse for Paul Nicholls to train is obvious. He’s days away from turning 10 years old and has had just nine starts over obstacles.

However, Give Me A Copper is a useful horse when all is well with him, as he showed when landing the Badger Beers Silver Trophy at Wincanton on his return to action six weeks ago.

Jumping with pizazz for Harry Cobden, my selection launched himself to the front at the second-last fence and always had matters in hand, despite the late thrust of neck runner-up Soupy Soups.

There is a 6lb rise in the weights to deal with, but Give Me

A Copper still has more to offer and his ability to cope with plenty of cut underfoot is another plus.

The Grade 1 Marsh Hurdle (2.25) won’t get many Saturday punters’ juices flowing —

is at building society odds to repeat his triumph of 12 months ago.

But Emma Lavelle’s star can’t be sensibly opposed.

Since providing the handler with a first top-level triumph last Christmas, Paisley Park is unbeaten in three outings, including a success in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Plymouth Gin Handicap Chase

(1.50) looks open, but got off the mark over fences at Chepstow last time and his trainer Evan Williams is firing in the winners.

At Haydock,

(right) has everything in place to capture back-to-back renewals of the Betway Tommy Whittle Chase (2.40).

David Pipe’s seven-year-old is 6lb higher in the weights than in 2018 but is unbeaten in three attempts on heavy ground. Also proven on the prevailing racing surface is who is preferred to four opponents for Haydock’s concluding Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap Hurdle (3.15). Donald McCain’s sixyear-old is 6lb lower than when third in this 12 months ago and hit the bullseye at Bangor in the middle of last month.