3 minute read

Seven-year-old returns to form at Ascot.

Mister Malarky  provided the Colin Tizzard yard with a much-needed pre-Christmas tonic when returning to winning ways in the Good Luck Hollie In SPOTY Silver Cup Handicap Chase at Ascot.

Winners have not been flowing with their usual fluency from the stable in the first half of the season – which must have been hard to fathom, given their understandable optimism as the campaign began.

Mister Malarky had shown little since winning a valuable handicap at Kempton in February, but he has always had plenty of ability.

To the fore throughout under Harry Cobden, with retained rider Robbie Power in action at Haydock, he barely put a foot wrong.

When joined late on by The Conditional and Ascot specialist Regal Encore, Mister Malarky (16-1) pulled out more to score by a length and three-quarters from David Bridgwater's Cheltenham Festival winner.

Cobden told ITV Racing: "Things haven't quite been going right for them (the Tizzard stable) in the early part of this year, but this lad has gone and won.

"I've had plenty of success for them in the past. But of late Robbie (Power) has been riding them, so to win on this lad today is great.

"He's enjoyed it, travelled well and jumped great. He was looking about on the run-in today – but when The Conditional joined him he went again, so I'm delighted.

"I'd ride him in the National – he wouldn't touch a twig."

Betfair introduced the seven-year-old at 40-1 in their ante-post market for Aintree.