2021 Ascot Chase Tips, Odds and Betting Predictions

The final Grade One race to be staged in Britain before the Cheltenham Festival is the Ascot Chase. This two-and-a-half-mile chase was first run at Ascot in 1995, and always attracts a high-quality list of entrants.

The Ascot Chase usually takes place during February, and the race has been won by great horses like One Man, Kauto Star, Cue Card and Monet's Garden.

Cyrname announced himself on the big stage in this race two years ago, powering to an emphatic victory which propelled Paul Nicholls' star to the very top of the ratings. Harry Cobden's mount suffered a heavy fall when beaten here 12 months ago, and returns to Ascot on the back of another poor effort in the King George VI Chase.

Master Tommytucker could also fly the flag for Nicholls in Saturday's feature. Nicholls' ten-year-old seems to have put those jumping woes behind him this term, winning the Silviniaco Conti Chase on his most recent appearance.

Lostintranslation could warm-up for the Gold Cup with an outing in the Ascot Chase. Colin Tizzard's charge has been in dismal form this season, trailing home 50-lengths behind the winner in the Betfair Chase, before getting pulled-up in the King George.

Saint Calvados was just starting to get involved when he fell in the Cotswold Chase at Sandown. Harry Whittington's charge may be more comfortable over this trip, and could go on to run in the Ryanair Chase after this.

Kalasnikov will bid to build on his triumph in the Peterborough Chase this weekend. Fanion D'Estruval ran on well to finish fourth in the Clarence House in January, and Venetia Williams' six-year-old could step back up in trip on Saturday.

Other possible runners include Dashel Drasher, Bennys King and Terrefort. Last year's Ascot Chase winner, Riders Onthe Storm occupies the final spot in the betting, which tells you what his form has been like since that surprise victory over Cyrname.

Originally billed as the Comet Chase, the Ascot Chase was first staged at Ascot in 1995. Every renewal of this race has taken place at Ascot, except the 2005 and '06 editions, which were run at Lingfield Park while Ascot was being redeveloped.

As there's usually three or four weeks between the meetings, runners in the Ascot Chase usually go on to run at Cheltenham Festival. The Ryanair Chase is the obvious target, horses have also run in the Champion Chase and the Gold Cup after taking part in the Ascot Chase.

One Man won the Ascot Chase as a ten-year-old in 1998, before going on to claim a shock victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. 

Tiutchev was the first horse to win two Ascot Chases, scoring in 2001 and 2003. Monet's Garden then repeated that achievement, winning Ascot feature in both 2007 and 2010.

Kauto Star beat Monet's Garden into second in 2008, before Voy Por Ustedes won the following season. Riverside Theatre then became the first horse to successfully defend the Ascot Chase crown, winning back-to-back renewals in 2011 and '12.

Cue Card won his first Ascot Chase in 2013, before winning his crown back as an 11-year-old in 2017. Silvinaco Conti won in 2016, with Waiting Patiently winning his only Grade One two years later.

Cyrname produced a powerful showing to hand Paul Nicholls' his third victory in the Ascot Chase in 2019. Cyrname then fell at the last when beaten the following season, with Riders Onthe Storm running out a convincing winner.