Exeter on Ashley agenda
Top novice Ashley Brook could begin his second season as a chaser on the same early-November Exeter card on which he made a successful start over fences last autumn.
The seven-year-old may go for the Haldon Gold Cup, which was landed last term by Azertyuiop in a time over a second slower than Ashley Brook’s in winning over the same extended two-mile-one-furlong course that day.
“He’s stayed with us for the summer and is out in a field. We’ll bring him back in to start training in the next two weeks,” said Bridgwater trainer Kevin Bishop.
“We might start him off at Exeter, but we’ll be giving weight away in limited handicaps like that as there’s only Moscow Flyer, Well Chief and Azertyuiop rated above him, and Azertyuiop is out for the season.”
Bishop has all but ruled Ashley Brook out of the King George VI Chase over three miles on Boxing Day, and is thinking of keeping him to two miles.
He ended last season as a leading novice thanks to an impressive victory in the Grade One Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree, which followed a highly-creditable second place in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.
“He may well have gone for the King George had it stayed at Kempton, but three miles at Sandown is a different matter,” said Bishop.
“We’ll probably stick to two miles unless his rider Paddy (Brennan) comes back and says he wants further. He stays fairly well and did win over two miles five and half at Newton Abbot.
“His best performance came over a fast two miles at Liverpool when I thought the ground was against him, and he also ran very well in the Arkle.
“We will look at races like the Tingle Creek, but he is rated 21lb inferior to Moscow Flyer and 20lb behind Well Chief. I don’t like taking horses on at level weights when there is such a big difference on official ratings, but he is still improving.
“He was rated about 123 over hurdles at the start of last season and ended up with a mark over fences of 158. We may even think of running him over hurdles off that figure at some stage.”
Although not on racing duty, Ashley Brook will be the star attraction at Newton Abbot’s meeting on Sunday, when he will be paraded.
“He’ll be there as he was the South West’s horse of the year and was also the British Horseracing Board’s champion novice over any trip,” added the trainer.
“His owner, Elizabeth Ellis, is 87 and has been most supportive. She paid about three thousand for him and turned down mega-offers of more than 200 grand before he won at Liverpool. She’s been a lucky owner of mine for years with the likes of Just Jasmine and Hill Trix.”
