'She's been great' - Zambella bidding to enhance her popularity in Listed chase

Wednesday: 3.20 Doncaster
Yorkshire Silver Vase Mares' Chase (Listed) | 2m4½f | 4yo+ fillies & mares | ITV4/Sky

It is easy to understand why trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies is rather fond of Zambella, who holds a leading chance in the Listed Yorkshire Silver Vase Mares' Chase.

The six-year-old, owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, has only run in stakes races since moving to Twiston-Davies in 2019, winning four times and finishing no worse than fourth in five of her six other completed races in the last two years.

"She's been a great horse and I hope she can go out there and do it again," Twiston-Davies said. "She's never ever done anything wrong, so we have to hope that continues."

Zambella has always looked a better mare over fences, with a record of finishing first or second in six of her seven chase starts (her one failure was when falling in last season's Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival).

She showed a liking for fences again last time at Aintree when cantering to a four-and-three-quarter-length victory in the rearranged Houghton Mares' Chase with Annie Mc, the winner of last year's Yorkshire Silver Vase Mares' Chase, in second.

Zambella carries a 4lb penalty for that success, putting her at a ratings disadvantage to the progressive Kapga De Lily, but Twiston-Davies added: "I know that Kapga De Lily is weighted to beat us as we have a penalty to carry, but she hasn't been running in this class of race so has to step up, while we're already proven in them."

Kapga De Lily is closest to Zambella on ratings – and in the betting – after recording her seventh victory in her last nine runs with a wide-margin success over 3m1f at Hereford this month.

Kapga De Lily: has won seven of her last nine startsCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

As such, the drop back in trip is a potential question mark for Kapga De Lily, who nevertheless looks the most likely to challenge Zambella based on recent performances.

The challenge is a greater one for Midnightreferendum, who was second to Zambella at Warwick last year before finishing a distant third in this contest to Annie Mc.

Midnightreferendum fell on her most recent outing at Aintree and trainer Alan King said: "She was a good second at Market Rasen first time out and was none the worse for her subsequent fall in a handicap at Aintree, where she was in the process of running well and would have been a decent third. She schooled last week and again on Monday, and I hope she can pick up some place money."

Similar ambitions, at least, apply to Nada To Prada, who disappointed at Ffos Las last time having produced a promising debut over fences at Worcester in October.

Nada To Prada was a black-type winner over hurdles and trainer Michael Scudamore said: "Had she gone for this race straight after her comeback, rather than go to Ffos Las, she would certainly be a shorter price as that was a good run. We were disappointed at Ffos Las as she never went a yard that day, so we've put a line through it.

"We've freshened her up and after what she produced over hurdles and on that first run over fences, this is the sort of race we expected to be running in and competing in as well."

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