Who To Follow At Ascot On Friday - 17/12/21

Ascot 14:20

Elle Est Belle

Harry Skelton

Dan Skelton

Age: 5

Weight: 10-12

OR: 132

Days: 20

The first Grade Two event of the afternoon is the Howden Kennel Gate Novices' Hurdle and we believe the value lies with the Dan Skelton trained Elle Est Belle.

Having won an Aintree and Cheltenham bumper on her first two starts, with the latter being in Listed Company, she then went in the Champion Bumper and finished a good third behind the two Irish raiders Kilcruit and Sir Gerhard.

Looking to go better in Aintree's Grade Two bumper she had to settle for second behind another nice Irish type.

Sent hurdling this term by the Skelton's she was seen only finishing third behind two nice runners for Alan King and Nicky Henderson on debut, but it was not a bad effort.

She took on the same two runners next time out and having stripped fitter for her debut and more experienced at her flights she went on to get off the mark in taking fashion.

Big player getting weight off the field.

Form: 13231View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
10/02/22	HUN	19.5	Sft	11-3	1
17/12/21	ASC	15.5	GS	10-12	4
27/11/21	NBY	16.5	GS	11-0	1
04/11/21	NBY	16.5	Gd	10-12	3
08/04/21	AIN	17	GS	11-0	2

12 time champion trainer Paul Nicholls is looking to have a big day at Ascot on Saturday and he has some huge chances to do so aswell.

One of his best chances of the day comes from Pic D'Orhy in the Grade Two Noel Novices' Chase, with the six year old looking to put his fall behind him.

Other big shouts for the Ditcheat handler include Dargiannini in the opener, Thyme White in the Limited Handicap Chase, Knappers Hill in the Grade Two Novices' Hurdle and then in the bumper he fields two horses with big chances.

Nicholls heads into the meeting sporting a 22% strike rate with him managing nine winners from his last 41 runners from the last fortnight.

Tom Bellamy heads to Ascot on Saturday having two rides and both of them give him a huge chance of being in the winners enclosure.

His first big ride of the day comes in the Limited Handicap Chase and he sits in the Emma Lavelle trained Red Rookie, who should improve for his chase debut.

Another big shout for the rider is Top Dog in the bumper, again for Emma Lavelle with the four year old looking a vert nice type.