Ashley looks the answer
With his bold jumping and front-running style, Kevin Bishop’s chestnut has the potential to become a real crowd-pleaser and this will be a great starting point.
Having gifted the Arkle Trophy to Contraband with a mistake at the last, the seven-year-old made amends with a devastating performance at Aintree, leading all the way and thrashing the high-class War Of Attrition by 16 lengths.
A cracking field will line-up for today’s Grade Two limited handicap, but unlike the triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate, Ashley Brook is not returning from a set-back.
Bishop’s gelding appeared on the scene over course and distance in a novice chase on this card last year when he upset the well-touted Sporazene and scored a 25-length success.
He has progressed brilliantly since then, and has the potential to make a mark in a number of Order Of Merit races this campaign.
Best Mate’s trainer Henrietta Knight can take the williamhillcasino.com Novices’ Chase with her high-class hurdler Racing Demon.
Miss Knight has made no secret of the esteem in which she holds the five-year-old, who was last seen finishing a close second to No Refuge in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle.
He has always been seen as a chaser in the making and with two wide-margin successes at Exeter under his belt already, he can stake his claim for the Arkle.
