Nigel Twiston-Davies’ William Hill Blog: Chance A Tune has been a revelation this season

We were very happy with the results from last weekend at Cheltenham and Aintree. I was delighted to see Idalko Bihoue, who won the Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on the Friday, back to winning ways, and likewise with Master Chewy’s 12-length win at Aintree on the Sunday. They’re both horses that we like very much and hope that they can keep progressing through the season. As for their next races, I’ll be taking every day at a time; they’ll tell us when they’re ready.

Saturday, Ascot

Just the two runners this Saturday; the first of which is Chance A Tune in the 1m7½f handicap hurdle (3.15pm). He’s been a revelation this season! He was second in a good race up at Market Rasen, then he won nicely at Chepstow three weeks ago. He’ll have to improve for this and produce a career best to win it, but let’s hope that he can do that for me, as I own him! James Turner rides again, who has been doing very well this season, recently losing his 10-pound claim and is now on seven. I think we could see him go down to five fairly soon. He’s a very good proposition and gets on with the horse well.

Chance A Tune was put up eight pounds in the handicap for that win at Chepstow, and I don’t complain about these sorts of things, but half of the horses didn’t turn up for the race, so we’ll find out whether it’s a fair mark or not on Saturday. He looked like a stayer on that last run, so after this we might consider going up in trip, but let’s have a look first.

Beauport follows in the three-mile Gold Cup Handicap Chase (3.45pm). He started off very well last season, then unfortunately had various lameness issues holding him back a bit, but he seems in very good form now. He’s dropped down the handicap by six pounds since this time last year, and he could surprise everyone, with a bit of luck. He’s come on this year, I think, and hopefully for the better. We’ll keep him in handicaps like this for now.

This is his first run of the season and, from what we’ve seen at home, he could go really well.