Visor Could Do The Trick For Vic At Ascot

It has been a while since my last blog post, so hopefully my selection for Saturday is worth the wait. The one I like goes at Ascot in the handicap hurdle at 1pm and in a first time visor, Honest Vic looks  a massive price. Henry Daly’s son of Kalanisi has been sent off favourite on his last two starts and has failed to deliver. However, neither run was devoid of promise and if the first time visor has the effect that is hoped, he could outrun his odds of 33/1.

Richard Patrick winning on Happy Diva at Ascot.

This 6yo is still lightly raced over hurdles and he has had just 10 runs during his career so far (2 in bumpers). He got off the mark over timber on his second try when hacking up in a 16f good ground Novice at Stratford in November 2017. He was beaten under a penalty next time in another Novice Hurdle at Ludlow, but he was a lot better next time on his handicap debut in a class 2 heat at Cheltenham.

Honest Vic ran an absolute cracker off a mark off 122, beaten less than 2L for the win finishing 5th of 22 over 20.5f on good ground. He had plenty of subsequent winners in behind, including the likes of Brelan D’As, Mahlervous, Carlos Du Fruitier and Verni. He may well have been over the top for his final run of the 2017/18 season, and he was entitled to need his comeback run in October.

He was well beaten on both those occasions, but he did run well on his penultimate start at Ludlow (21f sft). Off a mark of 120 he was only 4L behind Burrows Park (conceding 10lb) and that horse won off 7lb higher by 9L next time before going on to be beaten 4L by Ballyandy off an 17lb higher mark than when he beat Honest Vic. He is also the 7/2 favourite for the Pertemps Qualifier at Haydock today, so in hindsight it was a super run by Honest Vic.

He raced lazily at times in that race and his jumping was a bit sketchy too, and that was also the case last time at Wincanton (21f gd). The application of a first time visor could really help Honest Vic brush up in both departments and he will be ridden by a talented jockey in Richard Patrick, whose 3lb claim negates the fact that Honest Vic is 1lb out of the handicap.

Interestingly, Patrick has done well on his rare forays to Ascot, with two winners and three top four finishes from just 9 rides. Henry Daly has a fine record there too, 15 winners and 29 top 4 finishes from 98 runners. Taking everything into account, Honest Vic looks a huge price at odds of 33/1 and if he can get back to the form of his handicap debut he could give each way backers a good run for their money.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 1.00 ASCOT – HONEST VIC E/W @ 33/1