Sam Thomas has his string in excellent form going into the busy Christmas programme and he saddled his fourth winner from only seven runners in December as Steel Ally registered an impressive success in the Grade Two Noel Novice Chase at Ascot on Friday.
Steel Ally was the 11-4 third-favourite in a field of five runners but was travelling and jumping well from the off for Dylan Johnston, his jockey. No Questions Asked, the 7-5 favourite, briefly threatened to mount a challenge as he moved closer at the third-last but Steel Ally was clear by the second-last and eventually crossed the line nine lengths ahead of Push The Button (12-1).
The Noel Novice Chase is staged over two miles and nearly three furlongs, and Steel Ally is quoted at around 33-1 for the Arkle Trophy Novice Chase, over two miles, on the opening day of next year’s Cheltenham Festival.
The Welsh Grand National at Chepstow on 27 December is a big target for Thomas over the festive period, and he will saddle two fancied runners, Jubilee Express and Shomen Uchi, in next weekend’s marathon as he attempts to follow up his win with Iwilldoit in 2021.
“We’re very proud Welshmen, being on the doorstep [at Thomas’s stable near Cardiff] and it feels that bit more special,” Thomas said on Friday.
“[Jubilee Express] is one of those big, burly horses and takes so much work. There’s definitely more to come, especially as he’s now a bit more battle-hardened and has been in some bigger races. He knows what to expect … and I think that goes a long way when you’re going into these big races.
“Shomen Uchi is a very different horse, a little bit classier than Jubilee Express. He’s been very fragile throughout the years, so he hasn’t had much racing, but what we’ve seen of him on the track has been good.
“If he can align all the stars on the day, he could be a league above the other horse, but it’s a big unknown, having not had much racing.”
Honesty best policy for Long Walk
Even in an era of unprecedented Irish dominance in National Hunt racing, the Long Walk Hurdle has maintained its status as the only non-novice Grade One in British jumping that has never been won by a horse trained in Ireland. It is a record that may not survive the 2025 renewal on Saturday, however, as Gordon Elliott’s Honesty Policy (2.25) will arrive at Ascot with convincing credentials.
The Wallpark, another runner from the Elliott stable, ran well to finish fourth on his Grade One debut in the Long Walk last season, but Honesty Policy brings a different level of form to Saturday’s race having won the Grade One Mersey Novice Hurdle at Aintree in April.
He then ran a fine race to finish second in a Grade One at the Punchestown Festival on his first start at three miles, going down by half a length to Jasmin De Vaux, the winner of the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Nicky Henderson’s Impose Toi, who also runs for JP McManus in a race that the owner has won six times, could be the best of the home-trained contingent, and made a successful step up to Graded company at Newbury last time.
Impose Toi, though, has 15 races in the book compared to only five for Honesty Policy, and at around 5-2, the five-year-old is a solid bet to establish himself among the leaders of this season’s staying hurdle division.
Ascot 1.50: Issam has made an excellent start to his chasing career and his habit of doing only just enough is keeping him ahead of the handicapper.
Haydock 2.05: Last year’s runner-up, Jacks Parrot, can race off the same mark and should be much sharper for his low-key return over hurdles last month.
Haydock 2.40: Plenty of potential improvers line up for this Listed mares’ novice, with John McConnell’s Walks The Talk perhaps the pick of the prices at around 6-1 to maintain her unbeaten record over timber.
Haydock 11.45 Le Yacht 12.20 Ayiko 12.55 Saligo Bay 1.30 Escapeandevade 2.05 Jacks Parrot 2.40 Walks The Talk 3.15 Gwennie May Star
Hereford 11.58 Buckna 12.28 King Of Records 1.03 Glengolly 1.38 Bluenose Bella 2.13 Theonewedreamof 2.48 Marsiac 3.23 Scott’s Legacy
Ascot 12.40 Firefox 1.15 Dixie Mafia 1.50 Issam 2.25 Honesty Policy 3.00 Victtorino (nb) 3.35 Live Conti (nap)
Newcastle 3.10 Dingwall 3.47 Sands Of Josepi 4.20 Lope Harswell 4.55 Arc La Shari 5.30 Lessay 6.00 Aisling Oscar 6.30 Bajan Bandit 7.00 Yorkshire Glory
Wolverhampton 4.05 Addarella 4.40 Carnival Queen 5.15 Reason’s Power 5.45 Alligator Alley 6.15 Upepo 6.45 Westcombe 7.15 He’s a Gentleman 7.45 Bomb Squad 8.15 Water Tiger
Ascot 3.00: Venetia Williams’s string is belatedly finding form and her course-specialist Victtorino, successful in this race last year, has a live chance to take his Ascot record to four wins from five off a 3lb higher mark.
Ascot 3.35: Dan Skelton has few peers in handicap hurdles and the lightly raced Live Conti, second in a Grade One at Aintree in April, catches the eye off an opening mark of 143.
