Fergall No Forlorn Hope At Ascot

Prince Mahler pulled his chance away in the early stages earlier this week, and the money that came for him was lost. He jumped well and travelled well for a long way, but those early exertions took their toll and he faded after the 2nd last. Tomorrow's fancy goes at Ascot, and I think Fergall is ridiculously overpriced for Jimmy Mullins and Kevin Jones.

Fergall looks ready to run a big race at Ascot. 

This lightly raced 9yo son of Norwich has obviously had some issues, but he has returned this season with a couple of cracking efforts, and he was a close 4th behind Sternrubin over course and distance last time off 135. He had previously shown he was in good heart with a cracking run on the all weather at Kempton, 3rd in a class 3 handicap off 84 at 66/1.

This gelding has won 3 and been 2nd on 3 of his 14 starts over hurdles and his last win came off a mark of 136 in a class 2 heat at Plumpton back on April 2014. He followed that up with a respectable 8th in the Galway Hurdle off 143, but his form nosedived afterwards. He was tried chasing but that experiment was quickly aborted after a poor run at Plumpton.

He has since won on the all weather at Lingfield in a flat maiden (13f) before running poorly in the Swinton on his final run of last season off 141. He has returned to action this season in much better form, and he races off his last winning mark of 136. Kevin Jones takes off a very handy 5lb, so effectively he is 5lb lower than when hacking up by 4.5L at Plumpton. Good to soft ground is perfect, he is 1lb better off with Sternrubin, 5lb better off with Modus and at odds of 33/1 he has to have a place chance at least in a wide open looking renewal.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 3.35 ASCOT: FERGALL E/W 33/1