Ascot ambition for Guitar Pete Nicky Richards is looking at a trip to Ascot for Caspian Caviar Gold Cup winner Guitar Pete. The £75,000 bet365 Handicap Chase on January 20 has been handpicked by the Greystoke handler for his new stable star, who has been raised 5lb by the handicapper. "He's in grand fettle. He got home at 9pm (on Saturday) and by 9.30pm he was kicking his door down demanding more food - that's how much he took out of himself," said Richards. "I won't be killing him at home and will be keeping a close eye on him but if he stays in the same sort of form he'll go to Ascot on the 20th for a valuable race on the same day as the Clarence House. "If I'm happy, that's what we'll do next. I don't think ground is an issue for him as he's done winning in Ireland on heavy ground and he was running for me in the summer on good ground. "Those races in the summer did wonders for his confidence and people think, because they remember him winning as a three and four-year-old, that he must be much older, but he's only seven, going on eight. "Now he's going the right way again and is still the right end of the handicap, hopefully there might be a bit more wriggle room. "People have asked about stepping him up in trip to three miles as he always finishes so well but he's a bit of a thinker and he's so good at two and a half, I'm happy to leave him at that for now."
