Alaskan Gold might outrun his odds in the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot on Saturday

October 17

Alan, doubtless delighted how well The Doyen Chief shaped first time over fences in a handicap at Market Rasen on Tuesday, and also with both Baskerville, who found one too good at Hereford 24 hours earlier, and Admiralty House, who ran a cracker when runner-up at Wincanton this afternoon, giving a stone to the half length winner.

On Champions Day we will be looking to the ‘lucky last’ to spring a surprise with our only runner at Ascot. The Apple Tree Stud, run so professionally by our former stable jockey Choc Thornton, are represented by our summer recruit Alaskan Gold in the finale, the Balmoral Handicap, and they also have a runner on Friday with newcomer King Al going for the novice at Haydock.

Alaskan Gold, who only joined us from Karl Burke’s stable in July, has had just the one run for us, trailing in last of five but not beaten too far on his all-weather debut at Chelmsford.

That was Alaskan Gold’s first run since May, but, though he will be one of the big-priced outsiders at Ascot, his two best runs when trained at Middleham both came on soft going, a close second at Doncaster last back-end and only just missing a place on his reappearance in the G3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury. He’ll get his ground and will appreciate being back on turf.

King Al, a 50,000gns Breeze-Up purchase at the Guineas meeting, has a decent pedigree, being by Al Kazeem out of a Kingman mare, and it will be valuable experience.

Our other Saturday runner is Esmerellda, who carries the silks of the Barbury Lions 8 in the handicap hurdle at Stratford. Esmerellda has been off since taking a tumble when likely to finish in the frame at Cheltenham’s April meeting, so will improve for the race. She had earlier finished second at Wincanton, having won at Doncaster’s post-Christmas fixture, and she ought to give her owners plenty more fun this winter.