Edwardstone in top form for the clash with Jonbon and Energumene at Ascot on Saturday

January 16

What could be a potentially lucrative weekend for Barbury starts with fancied runners at both Market Rasen and Windsor on Friday, with a talented duo in Edwardstone and I’m A Lumberjack taking centre-stage at Ascot 24 hours later.

In the novices handicap chase at Market Rasen, Alan will be hoping for better from Royal Deesside, who was pulled up on his first run over fences at Warwick on New Year’s Eve, but Charisma Cat looks to have definite prospects in Market Rasen’s Listed Mares Bumper, while Es Perfecto, who ran well below-par at Kempton on Boxing Day, attempts to get back on track in first time cheekpieces in Windsor’s finale.

Alan said:”We’ve had a few goes at the Alan Swinbank Memorial mares bumper in the past, but I hope we might have found the right one in Charisma Cat.

“She is 2-2 and was impressive when defying the penalty she picked up for winning on her debut at Southwell last summer by following up in style at Warwick in November. This has been her target for a while, and she is good form after the break she had in early December.

“Es Perfecto was caught out by the better ground in a stronger race at Kempton over Christmas, but he had won well there the previous month and hopefully the headgear might bring out the best in him.”

Looking ahead to Edwardstone’s sixth crack at Jonbon in Saturday’s big meeting at Ascot, Alan, acknowledging that both the favourite and Energumene had justifiably commanded all the headlines in the build up to the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase, might well accept second prize, as he had done with Uxizandre, who, despite an absence of 688 days, finished second to the classy Un De Sceaux in this race in 2017.

Alan added:”Edwardstone looked sure to win the race two years ago when he jumped to the front at the final fence, but he was ultimately reeled in close home by Editeur du Gite.

“Edwardstone has been in great form at home since he ran a cracker under a welter burden to finish second in a handicap at Kempton on Boxing Day, and, while the ‘big two’ will be very hard to beat, there is plenty of prize money on offer, so fingers crossed we can grab a slice of it.

“I have never hidden the high opinion I have for I’m A Lumberjack, who heads for the EBF Novice Hurdle. He is a smashing prospect who settled and jumped when winning at Warwick last month. That race will have brought him on, and the further he went the better he travelled, so Ascot’s stiff two miles and five will suit him well and ought to put him spot on for the final of this series at Kempton in March.”