Carey Group Handicap Chase Tips

The ground at Ascot has softened up significantly so it's important to look for horses proven under testing conditions when running the rule over today's races at the Berkshire track.

 

The most competitive heat on the seven-race card is the Carey Group Handicap Chase, for which Andreas is favourite. However, the six-year-old is becoming expensive to follow and often finds little when the chips are down. Personally, I think he's one to swerve in a race where a bit of equine courage is going to be much needed.

 

With the likes of Crossbow Creek and Demi Beau better on decent going, the two to concentrate on are See You Sometime and Tysou, and the latter gets the vote at a tempting 13/2 with Blue Square.

 

Nicky Henderson's horses are coming to hand and Tysou made an encouraging reappearance at Cheltenham on November 10 when beaten little over four lengths into third behind a well-handicapped rival in Rubberdubber, and would have finished closer but for hitting the second last.

 

Versatile with regard to underfoot conditions, the selection is just 6lb higher in the ratings compared to when outpointing Dempsey in the Victor Chandler Chase last season, and a reproduction of that effort would be more than sufficient to see him land this Class 2 chase.

 

See You Sometime ran his rivals into the ground in a three-mile handicap here three weeks ago and, with the soft going set to place added emphasis on stamina, he should make a bold bid from the front.

 

However, he has been hit with an 8lb rise for that seven-length beating of Zabenz and while he should be effective at this trip, he might struggle to match the pace of a specialist like Tysou over this distance.

 

Contraband disappointed when long odds-on at Kempton recently, but he invariably needs his first run so it would be unwise to read too much into that. He merits respect, although top of the ground would suit him better.

 

His Stablemate Madison du Berlais is open to any amount of improvement, handles soft going and is at the right end of the weights. He could go very well providing that he jumps well. But, like Green Tango, he does have a propensity to clobber the odd fence which will prove cost in a race that will be run at a frenetic pace.

 

Verdict - 1pt Tysou @ 13/2 (Paddy Power)