ONE of the final big weekends of National Hunt racing before the Cheltenham Festival hits us in March and the Ascot Chase (3.35) is the feature and is arguably one of the best Grade One events we have seen all season.

Top Notch sets the standard and this small chaser with a massive leap is there to be shot at.

In a classy field of seven, he is one of four course and distance winners, but I fancy he doesn’t have the improvement in him as much as Coney Island and Waiting Patiently do.