Daly keeps fingers crossed for good ground
The battle-hardened six-year-old has been installed a short-priced favourite for the three-mile-one-furlong Grade One attraction but Daly believes his charge is more effective on good ground.
Having finished a close third behind My Way De Solzen in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham last March, Mighty Man gained revenge on Alan King’s star at Aintree.
That performance in particular elevated him towards the pinnacle of the current crop of staying hurdlers and despite harbouring going-related fears, Daly is looking forward to the race.
“I’m very happy with him and his last run will have just tightened him up a bit,” he explained.
“Looking at the race my one worry would be the ground as there looks to be quite a lot of rain around. Hopefully it won’t get too soft.
“Theoretically it shouldn’t at Ascot but it did last time after the deluge the night before and during racing so I’ll just be keeping my fingers crossed.
“Three miles on good ground would really be the ideal situation for him.”
Mighty Man made a highly pleasing return to the fray at the Berkshire venue last month, when he beat all bar an on-song Hardy Eustace in a competitive Grade Two contest.
Daly commented: “I was very pleased but perhaps a little surprised at how easily Hardy Eustace won. But in those ground conditions I was delighted with him over two and a half miles.”
Mud-lover Neptune Collonges may offer the most resistance to Daly’s contender, although Paul Nicholls has warned he is not a definite runner.
Despite finishing second in the corresponding race when it was held at Chepstow last year, Nicholls’ grey has been campaigned with success over the larger obstacles this term.
Having defied a big weight to win the Rehearsal Chase last time, connections have been considering the Lexus Chase but could take up the challenge at the weekend if the going turns soft.
