Paul Nicholls believes Pic D’Orhy is ready to assert himself at G1 level in the Betfair Ascot Chase (3.35pm), the centrepiece of Betfair Ascot Chase Raceday on Saturday, 18th February.
The two-mile, five-furlong highlight has record prize money of £175,000 in 2023, up from £150,000 last year, and is sponsored by Betfair for the 15th consecutive year.
Pic D’Orhy arrives at the top of his game following three straight victories so far this season, most recently trouncing the opposition by 16 lengths in the G2 Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton Park in January.
The in-form eight-year-old has already proven himself over Ascot’s chase course, having posted a similarly impressive victory in last season’s G2 Howden Noel Novices’ Chase.
Speaking on a media call presented by Great British Racing, Nicholls said: “The main thing with Pic D’Orhy is that he has matured at last. As a model, he is twice the horse he was last season. He is big, strong and just keeps on improving.
“At Newbury last season he was going to absolutely bolt in in the G2 novice chase but took a fairly heavy fall at the first in the straight, which I think woke him up a bit. He was very careful and good after that, and this season his jumping has been fantastic.
“He is a Betfair Hurdle winner so has always had plenty of ability, but he is a little bit like Bravemansgame in that they are massive horses and just take all this time to reach full maturity. You can actually get them stronger and fitter once they get like that, so Pic D’Orhy is probably the finished article now.
“I think Kempton the other day was one of his best performances because we were not convinced about him on the soft ground. He is a much better horse on good ground and the ground at Ascot should be ideal.”
Among those standing in the way are last year’s Betfair Ascot Chase winner Fakir D’Oudairies (Joseph O’Brien), the 7/4 favourite with Betfair, and star two-miler Shishkin (Nicky Henderson), who is tackling this intermediate distance over fences for the first time.
A strong line-up also features First Flow (Kim Bailey), winner of the 2021 G1 Clarence House Chase, Aintree G1 scorer Millers Bank (Alex Hales) and Aye Right (Harriet Graham & Gary Rutherford).
Nicholls added: “This is going to be the biggest race of Pic D’Orhy’s career so far, but he is up for it and I have a feeling he will go very well. The ground is right for him and he could not be going into it in better form having won his last three. He just has to take that form up to G1 level in what should be a thrilling race.
“Shishkin has questions to answer. At Cheltenham he had a problem and, to me, they must have been disappointed with him in the Tingle Creek, but they have tinkered with his wind since, which will help if that was an issue. In my opinion from watching him, two and a half miles is going to suit him better than two nowadays and that’s what Nicky is thinking as well. If he is on form, he will go well.
“Fakir D’Oudairies is a good horse. You could say he was lucky to win the other day and it looked like he had a hard enough race, but he won. He beat Hitman in the G1 at Aintree last season and that gives me a lead with Pic D’Orhy. The Irish have maybe not had as many winners over here this season as they normally do but they target these races and, if we are going to compete in a Ryanair or the G1 at Aintree, we need to be right in there with him.
“It looks an open race and these appear to be the three horses, although it would not surprise if Millers Bank ran a good, solid race. He was staying on well behind Pic D’Orhy at Huntingdon and likes that better ground.”
Betfair Spokesman Barry Orr commented today: “The big three have stood their ground and it’s set fair to be a competitive renewal of the race. Last year’s winner Fakir D’Oudairies has been favourite throughout and still heads the market, but he is 7/4 from 5/4.
“Shishkin has been strong at 2/1 and punters appear keen to give him another chance now that he is stepping up in trip. Pic D’Orhy is 11/4 but has to prove he can do it in Grade 1 company.”
Betfair Ascot Chase – Betfair prices:
7/4 Fakir D’Oudairies
2/1 Shishkin
11/4 Pic D’Orhy
9/1 Millers Bank
16/1 First Flow
50/1 Aye Right
Nicholls also issued updates on his other Betfair Ascot Chase Raceday contenders, including Danny Kirwan in the £100,000 LK Bennett Swinley Handicap Chase.
The trainer said: “Danny Kirwan loves Ascot and ran very well there earlier in the season. He has been waiting for decent ground and a race like this. He ran a bit free last time and did not finish but if Harry [Cobden] can hang on to him and save a bit, he must have a nice chance.
“We have Samarrive and Irish Hill [in the Ascot Racecourse Supports Box4Kids Handicap Hurdle]. Samarrive would have probably won at Ascot first time out over fences and then his jumping fell apart, so we thought we would get a couple of hurdle runs into him and then go chasing again in the autumn. Freddie Gingell takes off a very handy 7lb, he loves the ground and it would not surprise me if he ran a nice race at a big each-way price. I suppose the one of ours that will be fancied is Irish Hill. He seems to be a progressive horse and the ground being good is a big plus as I think the track would be too stiff for him if it was soft. He seems to be on a roll and I would like to think he has a chance.
“Iliko D’Olivate [in the Ascot Racecourse Supports Schools Poetry Competition Novices’ Hurdle] is a nice, young horse and next year’s chaser. He ran very well at Sandown the other day behind a horse of Olly Murphy’s [Chasing Fire] who I think will run very well in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
“Ivaldi [in the Age Concern Bracknell Handicap Hurdle] ran well to finish second at Ascot earlier in the season. I don’t know what happened with his jumping last time as he walked through the first and then fell at the second, so we have done a lot of schooling at home. He jumps fences better than he does hurdles but I do not want to go chasing with him at the moment. I think he wants a trip and, if he jumps and settles, this could bring out the best in him.”