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3:00 Ascot
HARTUR D’ARC– 3/4 Pt Win @ 20/1 boost Lads, 18/1 drifting generally
Trainer Gavin Cromwell almost opened his own Ascot account when Yeah Man pushed Victtorino close in this race 12 months ago and Hartur d’Arc looks massively underestimated on the back of an unlucky run in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on his seasonal return.
Despite an early error, he was still travelling well and had just started creeping into contention four fences from the finish at Cheltenham, when he lost all momentum having to dodge In Excelsis Deo and could never quite get within striking distance afterwards
The intermediate trip around the Old Course might just have been on the sharp side anyway, especially on good ground, as he ended last year contesting the Irish National at Fairyhouse after winning the Leinster National (3m1f, soft) at Naas.
Stepping back up to three miles is almost certainly in the seven-year-old’s favour and he’s effectively running off 2lb lower here as he’s been eased a pound and was fractionally ‘wrong’ at the weights last month. Conor Stone-Walsh takes off a further 3lb on Saturday and, as the complete outsider of the field, he’s well worth an interest.