12.45pm Ascot Tips & Betting Preview 22/12/2017

Tip: OAKLEY HALL at 15/2 (Each Way)

IN SUMMARY: OAKLEY HALL (15/2 EACH WAY) outran his odds in his last racecourse appearance and that was a very encouraging performance on his first start for Jonjo O’Neill, any improvement will see him bang there. Good Man Pat should provide stiff opposition.

1 CLONDAW NATIVE – Won a point-to-point before moving to Stuart Edmunds and has yet to record a victory after three starts under rules. He has been placed in both his hurdles start to date and shown some fair form but will need to take a step forward here in a hot race.

2 DARIUS DES BOIS – Fell in a point-to-point and has yet to make any great impact under rules finishing fifth in both his starts over hurdles so far. He is in good hands with Nicky Henderson training and Noel Fehily taking the ride but he needs to take a fair step forwards.

3 DUKE OF KILCORRAL – Made two starts in bumpers and never looked like getting involved when beaten a long way in both attempts over in Ireland. He hasn’t done much better since moving to Neil Mulholland and will need to improve plenty here.

4 GOOD MAN PAT – An easy point-to-point winner who moved to Alan King after that success and won a bumper at the first time of asking. He has run in three hurdles to date and has been placed in each, consistent but needs slightly more if he is to win this.

5 MOVING IN STLYE – Was narrowly denied in his first point-to-point when second and made the necessary improvement to win at the second time of asking. He was beaten a long way into eighth however on his hurdling debut at Chepstow and needs to show more here.

6 OAKLEY HALL – Won a bumper in Ireland having been second twice in a row before that before switching from Gordon Elliott to Jonjo O’Neill. He was relatively unfancied in the market on his hurdling debut but put up a big effort in a competitive race, one to note.

7 PUPPET WARRIOR – Showed some useful form in bumpers where he was not out of the frame in four starts despite failing to get his head in front. He ran a grand race on his hurdling debut when beaten just under two lengths and improvement would see him involved.

8 ROBIN WATER – Dan Skelton saddles this impressive point to point winner who was a decent third behind a potentially very useful rival on his hurdling debut. He will need to take a step forward here but that is likely as he is unexposed and his yard is in fine form.

9 SETTIE HILL – Won a useful looking bumper on debut at Market Rasen but was weak in the market when a moderate eighth on his hurdling bow. He was well behind today’s rival Oakley Hall that day and has a fair bit on if he is to turn that form out.

10 STAGE SUMMIT – Didn’t show much on his bumper debut but put in a much-improved display to get the better of a Willie Mullins hotpot next time out. He switched to the in form Ben Pauling yard and was beaten just two lengths into second on hurdling debut, chance.

10 WHISKEY IN THE JAR – Was comfortably beaten by a useful sort from Gigginstown on debut in Ireland but has since won a bumper for Dan Skelton and switched to the Olly Murphy yard. Travelled stylishly on hurdling debut before running out of steam and finishing second, can improve.