Ask Me Early

Ask Me Early put up a nice performance to win the three-mile novices’ handicap chase at Chepstow on Saturday. Sent to the front from flagfall by Sean Bowen, and quickly into a nice rhythm in front, he travelled well through his race and his jumping was good. Hold That Taught moved up on his outside as they left the back straight, but he never ceded the lead. The front two landed over the fifth last fence almost in unison, but Ask Me Early moved on again fractionally at the fourth last, and a superb jump at the third last took him into a one-and-a-half-length lead. He got in tight to the final fence, and that gave his pursuer a chance, but he recovered his momentum half way up the run-in, and he stayed on again close home to win by almost two lengths, with the pair of them well clear of their remaining rivals.

This was another good performance by Harry Fry’s horse. A point-to-point winner, he only ran twice over hurdles before embarking on his chasing career last month, when he again made all and stayed on well over Saturday’s course and distance to beat Lord Napier and Thomas Macdonogh. He is all stamina, he races as if he will do even better when he goes beyond three miles and, as such, given his forward-going style of racing, and the fact that he is two for two over fences at Chepstow on soft and heavy ground, next year’s Welsh National would be a legitimate long-term plan. In the meantime, he will be of interest in another staying handicap chase, as long as there is an emphasis on stamina. He is only seven and he has the potential to progress by more than the 7lb hike with which the handicapper has rewarded him.
Chepstow 9^th January 2021