WITH a month to go before the Cheltenham Festival, Saturday racing still keeps up a high standard with some cracking national hunt cards at Ascot, Haydock Park and Wincanton. At the Berkshire venue the feature race of the day is the Grade One Ascot Chase at 3.35, and with the ground currently riding good I would anticipate that First Flow may not fulfil his acceptance which would take us down to five, but quality still remains the overriding factor.

But the overriding key to this 2m5f event is whether Shishkin retains all of his ability and is able to see out the extra yardage.

At first glance is seems that the Clarence House Chase 12 months ago could well have torn the heart out of him, a view further cemented by his pulled up effort in the Champion Stakes (ground excuses) and then followed by a lacklustre return in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park. Another poor effort here could well see him consigned to the land a green field, but a bounce back will almost certainly see Henderson’s charge become the new favourite for the Grade 1 race at the forthcoming Prestbury Park festival.

Pic D’Orhy is the relative new kid on the block and you can be sure that Harry Cobden will make plenty of use of his partner from the start. If this upwardly mobile eight-year-old gets into a good rhythm then he could have several of these on the back foot coming out of Swinley Bottom.

Last year’s hero Fakir D’Oudaries has never entirely impressed with his jumping which tells us that he has a real Grade One engine inside to negate that slight weakness. A poor jump at the third last in 2022 put him on the back foot in this race, but he simply outstayed Two For Gold, aided by a fabulous leap at the last fence, to secure a hard earned success.

However, at the best part of even-money he represents no value whatsoever and I am more than happy, with the ground in his favour, to have a small play on MILLERS BANK. Good ground has always been his preserve so a clawing surface over three miles in the King George at Kempton Park last time out would have been of no use to him having previously beaten just over two lengths by Pic D’Orhy in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.

The big betting race on the card is the three mile Swinley Handicap Chase at 3.25 and again ground conditions will be a huge factor in deciding the outcome of this 14-runner event. At 9/2 the field, it is fair to say that layers and punters alike see this as a wide open affair, but I am really keen on the claims of bottom weight NEON MOON.

Good ground has always been a plus in his armoury and his second of five to Dead Right was a cracking run last time out. He will obviously need a career best to land this valuable prize, but on his fifth chase start and his 15th overall under rules, there could be more than a modicum of improvement in him if he manages to secure a clear round. Of his rivals, Revels Hill and Laskalin are feared the most.

There is also a competitive handicap hurdle (3.00) worth a closer look at, and SAMARRIVE could well be up to defying top weight of 12 stone with young and promising conditional Freddie Gingell taking a valuable seven pounds off his back. The return to this sounder surface is also a huge plus and he may be able to successfully give the weight away to Homme Public, Glynn and Djelo.

And so over to Wincanton and the Kingwell Hurdle offers KNAPPERS HILL a decent opportunity to add another graded win to his course and distance success in the Elite Hurdle. The key to his chance is spring ground and with every chance of leading all the way again I think that the Paul Nicholls’ charge can see off his main market rivals, First Street and I Like To Move It.

The last named will also relish the return to a better surface after finding two and a half miles on a soft surface too much to handle in the Relkeel Hurdle behind Maries Rock at Cheltenham. On the same card, PRESS YOUR LUCK (4.17) and NEVILLE’S CROSS (2.32) may well bounce back to form for their respective yards.

The Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (2.40) over an extended three and a half miles at Haydock Park will not represent the bottomless test it usually does with ground conditions considerably quicker than in recent renewals. By the time you read this, Haydock Park will have finally received more rain over Friday night with further showers throughout tomorrow which should allow former Grade 1 race hero Bristol de Mai to try and defy top weight and a mark of 154, but he may still struggle to contain several of his rivals further down the list.

I think that Omar Maretti is a very solid each-way play and there was plenty to like about his staying on third of four last time out at Ayr, with the promise of more to come over this extra half mile. At around 10/1, he may also be worth a saver, but at a slightly bigger price I will be on board with GRUMPY CHARLEY.

The Warwick Classic may have come a bit quick after his success a fortnight earlier at Newbury. Still only 5lbs higher than for his winning run at the Berkshire track, the son of Shirocco has been given a welcome break of 35 days and there is plenty more to come from this sound jumping selection.

At a double figure price, WAKOOL may be able to take the step up in class in his stride for the Grade Two Rendlesham Hurdle at 2.05. Six from 19 in his career, any rain that falls could help him to enhance that record and he looks the value call over recent Sandown Park winner Green Book.

Elsewhere on the card, HARDY BLOKE should go well off bottom weight in a bid to qualify for the Pertemps Hurdle Final at the Cheltenham Festival.