Dashel Drasher may revert to chasing next time out

Molly Hunter
November 14, 2023 9:19 am

The 1965 Chase at Ascot is a potential target for Jeremy Scott’s popular 10-year-old.

Dashel Drasher could make his next start over fences after a hurdling comeback at Wetherby.

The popular 10-year-old has switched between the two divisions throughout the last few seasons and has enjoyed plenty of success over both types of obstacles.

He was second to Grand National winner Noble Yeats in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree last December and was then runner-up in a trio of high-quality Cheltenham hurdles, culminating in the Grade One Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival, where he was beaten only three-quarters of a length by Sire Du Berlais.

Jeremy Scott’s charge started the new season at Wetherby this month, contesting the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle and starting as the 7-4 joint-favourite under Rex Dingle.

He led for much of the way and showed plenty of vim, only fading approaching the last and eventually finishing third behind Botox Has and Red Risk.

December Racing Weekend – Saturday 19th December – Ascot Racecourse — Dashel Drasher previously at Ascot (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

A switch to chasing could be next on the agenda, with the 1965 Chase at Ascot under consideration if the gelding is ready to go again at the end of the month.

“He’s really well, he probably just got a bit stuck in the mud the other day, maybe it’s just age catching up with him as well,” Scott said of the Wetherby run.

“He’s certainly come out of the race really well and there is a chase at Ascot in a few weeks’ time which is a possibility, but it is quite difficult finding races for him.

“I was very much thinking we’d play it by ear, I’d like to run him back over fences because I think he was just as effective over them.

“It would be nice to find a Grade Two that we could run him in but they’ve taken a lot of them away, last year we ran in the Many Clouds but they’ve taken that away, so it’s difficult to find him somewhere to go unless you run in a handicap.

“He’s never lacking for will, he’s always just a bit stuffy on his first run but I’m very happy with the way he’s come out of the race and we’re just hunting around for the next plan.

“We’ll see how he is when we start doing some proper work – and if we can go to Ascot, that would be great.”