Moore Planning Ascot Raid

Gary Moore is hoping to be triple-handed when he goes in search of another major handicap hurdle prize at Ascot on Saturday.

The East Sussex-based handler has plundered the William Hill Handicap, Lanzarote Hurdle and totesport Trophy in the past couple of seasons and now has his sights fixed on the £150,000 Ladbroke.

Of his four entries, only Heathcote looks like staying at home.

Moore said: 'I'd like to run Altilhar, Pace Shot and Mon Michel.

'I was very pleased with Altilhar last time but I'm not so pleased with the weight he's got to carry.

'It's very tough in a race like this and he's only a four-year-old of course.

'Mon Michel got beaten by Altilhar last year but this is a big prize and Pace Shot just got stuck in the mud at Sandown the other day.

'He's still showing ability, but I think he might just be 5lb higher in the weights than he should be.'

Shatabdi's participation looks in doubt because of the drying ground at Ascot.

Twice an impressive winner last season in the mud, including a Kempton Grade Two event, the Robert Waley-Cohen-owned mare did not perform so well on quicker going in the Scottish Champion Hurdle.

Her rider, Waley-Cohen's son Sam, said: 'I have to go on what Nicky Henderson (trainer) has told me, she seems very well and everything suggests she retains her ability from last season.

'But the likelihood of her running is diminishing as long as the ground continues quickening up.

'The decision remains with Nicky, so we'll see.'

Waley-Cohen is also not sure whether Shatabdi will stay hurdling or try her hand at fences.

'She jumps well, but we just need to see how she progresses,' he added.

Mick Fitzgerald is looking forward to getting back on board the well-fancied Jack The Giant after he exploited a lower hurdles rating to win last week.

'He won well at Cheltenham the other day in a competitive race,' the jockey said.

'He beat a horse that had been hiked up 9lb for an easy win in an ordinary race at Musselburgh in Roman Villa.

'He only won by three-parts of a length that day and everyone said what a good thing he was, but he didn't win with the authority that everyone expected.

'But he still won and he goes up 6lb as a penalty for that and the horse will love the fast ground,' he told At The Races.

'That is the one thing that will suit him and probably won't suit a lot of the others.

'He's a horse that I really like. He's genuine, he's consistent and I'm hopeful of a bold show from him, but he does need a few horses to come out.'

Gordon Elliott hopes Roman Villa can get his revenge on, but he also needs a few higher-rated rivals to drop by the wayside.

Of his recent defeat, Elliott said: 'I was delighted with that, but he's been touched off twice now by two well-handicapped horses at Cheltenham.

'I think on the day he just wasn't quite good enough.

'With the way the ground is, looking like it'll be on the good side, I'd say we have a chance of sneaking in at the bottom (of the weights).'

Ladbroke Hurdle, sponsors bet: 7-1 Missis Potts, 8-1 Jack The Giant, 10-1 Jayo, Laustra Bad, Viso, 12-1 Altilhar, Chivalry, French Saulaie, Roman Villa, 14-1 Esprit De Corps, Mon Michel, Pigeon Island, 16-1 Bar.

(C) PA Sport