ASCOT 17 February 2007 Good To Soft

2:20 Commercial First Ascot Chase Grade 1 (Class 1) (5yo+) 16 fences 2m3f

[off 2:22] £84,675.00, £31,995.00, £16,095.00, £8,130.00, £4,155.00, £1,160.00

TRAINER Age Wgt JOCKEY SP OR TS RPR

1 Monet´s Garden (IRE) N G Richards 9 11-7 Tony Dobbin 11/10F — —

2 8 Thisthatandtother (IRE) P F Nicholls 11 11-7 R Walsh 4/1 155 — —

3 3 River City (IRE) Noel T Chance 10 11-7 Tom Doyle 20/1 156 — —

4 3 Vodka Bleu (FR) D E Pipe 8 11-7 Timmy Murphy 22/1 137 — —

5 1½ Fota Island (IRE) M F Morris 11 11-7 A P McCoy 7/1 — —

6 24 Central House D T Hughes 10 11-7 t R Loughran 8/1 — —

PU Cerium (FR) P F Nicholls 6 11-7 Richard Johnson 13/2 154 — —

7 ran TIME 4m 50.40s (slow by 16.40s) TOTAL SP 113%

1st OWNER: David Wesley Yates BRED: William Delahunty TRAINER: N G Richards

2nd OWNER: C G Roach

3rd OWNER: Mrs S Rowley-Williams

TOTE WIN £2.00 PL £1.20, £2.70; Ex £6.10; CSF £6.06

A good line-up for this prize, and although MONET'S GARDEN stood out on his best form, the others all had decent form at this sort of level.

The early pace was really strong, with Irish challengers Fota Island and Central House taking each other on, and although it slowed to a more sensible gallop passing the stands for the first time the damage may have been done, as the pair dropped out to take the last two finishing positions.

Monet's Garden had been bitterly disappointing in the King George, but dehydration following an overnight stay away from home was thought to be to reason and a different routine was adopted this time, with the grey travelling down at the crack of dawn. It seemed to do the trick, for he was a different proposition hereand won impressively after moving readily to the front starting the home turn.

The winner has a choice of targets at the festival, including the Gold Cup and the Queen Mother, but the Ryanair, over a distance similar to this and against opposition ofa broadly similar calibre, looks the obvious choice. He is as short as 9-4 with Blue Square but 7-2 with Coral. Provided the new routine works again he must have a major chance.

Thisthatandtother got a bit outpaced heading back from Swinley Bottom, but stayed on well for second. The Ryanair, which he won two years ago, is the obvious race for him too, but while he would be virtually sure to run a big race again it's hard to see him turning the tables.

The Queen Mother is the target for River City, who was not out of it when unseating his rider four out in last year's race. Noel Chance was delighted with the ten-year-old, who goes straight there now, pointing out that he was only 80 per cent fit and ideally wants better ground. He said that Tom Doyle reported he had a good blow two out, but which he might have been second, and added that he travels and jumps so well he will always have a chance of prize-money in a race like that.

Vodka Bleu had a good 20lb to find with the principals and theoretically finished a shade bit closer than he was entitled to in fourth, having raced on the outside throughout, jumping well. He has a choice of targets, but next week's Racing Post Chase, for which the weights have already been published, may come too soon and so connections, who sponsored this race, must hope the handicapper treats him sympathetically.

Last year's Queen Mother second Fota Island isn't entered this time, but he does have a Ryanair entry and that distance probably suits him better nowadays. He hasn't been in the best of form in a light campaign, but he wasn't beaten far here and it was a step in the right direction.

Central House hasn't looked quite the same horse this season, but not too much should be read into this as he has never won at this trip and would not have enjoyed being taken on.