Double Ross

Double Ross ran a big race to finish second to Pendra in the three-mile handicap chase at Ascot on Saturday.

A mistake at the first fence knocked him back, and meant that he was further back in the field than ideal in a race in which it was difficult to make ground from the back. Another mistake at the 10th fence did not help, but he stayed on really well over the last two fences up the home straight to finish second. It never really looked like he was going to catch Pendra, who ran out an impressive winner, but this was a decent race, and Double Ross was second best on merit, his effort rendered all the more meritorious given that he was the only one of the first three home who made his ground from the rear.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse is nine now, and he had a wholly forgettable season last season, but he was a high-class novice chaser two seasons ago, he won the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham as a novice and he finished a close-up third in the JLT at the Festival the following March. Rated as high as 160 over fences in his prime, his lack-lustre season last term saw his mark drop to 150, so the 3lb that he got for Saturday’s run still leaves him 7lb lower than his peak. He could be a well-handicapped horse now.

He stayed the three miles well on Saturday, and that opens up options. He is in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, and he does go well at Cheltenham, but it may be that he will be more effective now over further than two and a half miles. He could be an under-rated horse now.

31^st October 2015