1st-Dec-2012

I am backing Rolling Aces at 5/1 here. Paul Nicholls’s gelding has always been a chaser in the making – he showed useful form in two point-to-points and he was never going to spend long over hurdles – and he duly made an encouraging start to his chasing career at Ascot four weeks ago. He jumped reasonably well there, but he was on the back foot after over-jumping the first fence down the back straight, which pitched Nick Scholfield right up the horse’s neck. He was always just a bit too far off the pace to land a meaningful blow thereafter over a trip short of his best, though he did stay on nicely from the second last to finish third.

He will be much better suited by the trip today, the step up by three and a half furlongs is really in his favour, and he did jump a little out to his left at Ascot, so he may be even better on a left-handed track over fences. He was rated 128 over hurdles, and he ran a good race off that mark at Cheltenham in October in a race that is working out quite nicely, but he has the size and scope to make a much better chaser, and it will be disappointing if he does not turn out to be a good deal better than a 130 horse over fences.

The ground should be perfect for him, and Ruby Walsh takes over in the saddle today if he is fit to ride after his fall yesterday, which he should be, and that is obviously a big plus. He is the most likely winner of the race in my book.

ROLLING ACES WON (ADV 5/1, SP 4/1)