Cue Card heads field of six for Ascot Chase

Cue Card (pictured) heads a field of six for the Betfair Ascot Chase at the Berkshire track on Saturday.

The 11-year-old won this race in 2013 but has been campaigned over staying trips most of the time since then.

All his three runs this season have been over three miles, the latest coming in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day when he was runner-up to his stablemate Thistlecrack.

Trainer Colin Tizzard is using this race as a prep for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in which Cue Card fell at the third-last fence last March when holding every chance.

Cue Card has quite a bit in hand of his rivals at the ratings and they include Irish Cavalier, who had the Tizzard star back in third when winning the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in October. However, he has failed to live up to that form in two races since then.

The eight-year-old is trained by Rebecca Curtis, who has also declared Shantou Flyer.

Jonjo O'Neill relies on Taquin Du Seuil. winner of the BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham while Gary Moore saddles Traffic Fluide, who finished last of four behind Altior in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury last weekend on his first start for 13 months.

The Philip Hobbs-trained Royal Regatta, winner over the course and distance in the Stella Artois 1965 Chase in November, completes the field.