Festival Bankers?

Relief all round for jumps racing enthusiasts as, after all of the bad weather we have had to endure in recent weeks, we finally had a full programme of meetings on Saturday, and very few days this season have thrown up quite so many significant Festival clues.

Indeed, one of the winners we saw could now quite realistically be described as banker material for Cheltenham in three weeks time, such was the impression that Voy Por Ustedes created in winning the Betfair Ascot Chase.

The Ryanair Chase now looks to be his to lose as the former Champion Chaser proved, beyond doubt, his stamina for the 2m 5f trip. He easily brushed aside his rivals at Ascot, despite racing on unsuitably soft ground, and on a decent surface at the Festival his class will surely prevail.

With Noland now out of the Ryanair, the race is in danger of cutting up badly and the 9-4 currently available about Voy Por Ustedes could easily look like the best value of the meeting come the penultimate day of the Festival.

We’ve already highlighted here the chances of Kasbah Bliss in the World Hurdle and he did nothing dent our hopes when cruising home in the Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock, again on ground he doesn’t like. It was a hugely impressive seasonal reappearance and he clearly replicated his improved form on the flat from this summer on his return to hurdling.

Carruthers was another impressive winner at Ascot and will try to emulate Albertas Run who won the Reynoldstown Chase last season before claiming the RSA Chase at the Festival. He jumps and stays extremely well, and should be better served going left handed, and so has to go on to the shortlist for Cheltenham.

Other performances to note included Vino Griego (for the Bumper), Wendel (for the Ballymore Properties), Murphys Cardinal (for the Foxhunters) and Tarablaze (for the Albert Bartlett).

We’ll be amazed if at least one Festival winner wasn’t in action at either Ascot or Haydock.