Fair Team Wait On Ascot Ground Fair Along could go straight to Cheltenham without a prep run unless the ground at Ascot in two weeks' time is suitable.The Commercial First Ascot Chase on February 16 is the only race being considered for Philip Hobbs's smart chaser, who was runner-up in the Arkle Trophy last season.He will run in either the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase at the Festival this time round."Realistically I don't expect he'll run again before Cheltenham," said Hobbs."I would imagine he'd run in either the Champion Chase or the Ryanair."We are aiming for the two-mile-five conditions chase at Ascot first but he would not run if the ground was at all on the soft side, so the likelihood is he won't run."I expect he's going to end up at Cheltenham without running before which is what he did last year."He ran extremely well in the Arkle although he just got beat," the Minehead trainer told At The Races.Fair Along is available at 16-1 for both the Champion Chase and the Ryanair.(C) PA Sport
