Ascot on Garden agenda

Monet’s Garden is to bid for a repeat win in the Commercial First Ascot Chase on February 16 rather than tackle the King George VI Chase.

Nicky Richards decided against taking his stable star down to Kempton for another crack at the best three milers and will instead keep him at his specialist trip of two and a half miles following his run in the Tingle Creek.

“He seems in good form, we just had a nice steady week with him since Sandown,” said Richards.

“Two miles is probably just too sharp for him at that level, he came up against two very good horses but we gave it a go.

“He’s very consistent at the highest level and it’s a pleasure to have him. No doubt we will have one or two more good days with him yet.

“He didn’t settle overnight last year at Kempton so we travel with him a little bit different now and that seems to be working fine.

“The Ascot race he won last year is one of the main targets for him and then either Cheltenham or Aintree.

“He always runs a very good race at Aintree and hopefully he’ll do so again. He beat Kauto Star last time he was there and it was a fantastic day and lovely to beat one of the best horses we have seen for a long time,” he told At The Races.