'Amazing' Pic D'Orhy 'will be hard to beat' declares Paul Nicholls in Ascot Chase battle with L'Homme Presse and Corbetts Cross

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Pic D’Orhy may not be the best chaser to have passed through the hands of 14-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls, but career earnings of £836,568 bear testimony to how adeptly he's been placed.

He's never looked the type to excel in a Ryanair, so Nicholls has aimed Pic D’Orhy at valuable Grade 1 and 2 chases at Ascot, Aintree and Kempton, and been handsomely rewarded.

Winner of ten of his 20 starts over fences, he boasts a particularly good record at the Berkshire track, where only the brilliant Shishkin has beaten him in his past five visits.

He seems to thrive in small fields and was impressive in a four-runner renewal of this £175,000 event 12 months ago when beating L’Homme Presse by five and a half lengths.

Pic D'Orhy: bids to retain his Ascot Chase crown on SaturdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Pic D’Orhy goes well fresh and hasn't been seen in public since winning the Grade 2 1965 Chase at Ascot in November.

He missed an intended engagement at Windsor last month owing to soft ground and conditions should be perfect for him this time.

Nicholls said: “He’s something of a course specialist and I’m glad we didn’t run him in deep ground at Windsor last month.

“The ground at Ascot will be in his favour and he’s in good shape. We’ve had this race in mind for him all season. He seems very well and hopefully will be hard to beat.

“He’s been an amazing horse for us.” 

'Softer ground would have helped L'Homme Presse' - Venetia Williams

L’Homme Presse was beaten five-and-a-half lengths by Pic D’Orhy in this race last year, but don't forget he started 5-4 favourite.

Perhaps the Venetia Williams-trained star wasn’t quite at his best that afternoon and can put matters right this time?

L’Homme Presse is in good form this season, finishing third to Banbridge in the King George VI Chase on his reappearance at Kempton on Boxing Day prior to getting the better of Stage Star by three-quarters of a length in Cheltenham’s Grade 2 Cotswold Chase last month.

He's quoted at about 20-1 for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup and 40-1 for the Randox Grand National.

L'Homme Presse (left): holds entries in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand NationalCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

L’Homme Presse’s performance at Ascot is likely to determine how connections plan his spring campaign and Williams said: “He ran well last year to be second behind Pic D'Orhy.

“This would be a minimum distance for him, so softer ground would have helped his cause, but he's come out of Cheltenham well.

“I don't think which way round he goes matters terribly as he ran well in the King George going right.” 

Corbetts Cross warms up for likely Cheltenham Gold Cup bid

Corbetts Cross may not have been suited to the demands of Kempton and the King George when only sixth of 11 to Banbridge last time out.

After all, his victory at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival came over 3m6f in heavy ground, conditions that couldn’t be more alien to a fast-run King George on good going.

The Emmet Mullins-trained chaser takes a further drop in trip for this Grade 1 on ground that could be nearer good than good to soft by mid-afternoon, meaning his participation is uncertain, but it fits snugly into his programme ahead of a likely tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He's generally a 12-1 shot for chasing’s blue riband, with only Galopin Des Champs, Banbridge and Fact To File quoted at shorter odds.

• Ascot Chase contender Corbetts Cross not a certain runner with Emmet Mullins concerned about drying ground 

What they say

Anthony Bromley, racing manager to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, owners of Blue Lord
We’re looking forward to running him over this longer trip. Daryl [Jacob] has been adamant for some time now that he wants this sort of distance. How he fares at Ascot will help provide the road map for the rest of the season. We had the option of the Red Mills at Gowran, but decided to take on the big three here. Plenty of his old form is on yielding going, so we’re happy with ground conditions. We’re hopeful but acknowledge that he has a bit on his plate against the likes of Pic D’Orhy, L’Homme Presse and Corbetts Cross. It’s a big pot to go for.

Blue Lord: runs in the Ascot Chase on SaturdayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Dan Skelton, trainer of Flegmatik
We're looking for some prize-money. He's not very well handicapped these days and he could pick up more in this than handicaps. We'll just keep an eye on the ground there as it could go one of two ways.

Gary Moore, joint-trainer of Le Patron
It’s a tough race but hopefully he’ll have every chance. I just wish the ground hadn’t dried out so much.

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