Chase and hurdles options open for Dashel Drasher

Conditions are key for Jeremy Scott’s stable star.

Jeremy Scott’s popular chaser Dashel Drasher could start the season over either hurdles or fences in search of soft ground.

The nine-year-old enjoyed a successful 2020-21 campaign, winning three times and landing a Grade One title in the Ascot Chase in February.

The victory was the final leg of an Ascot hat-trick, with the gelding particularly effective when running at the Berkshire track.

The Ascot Chase is a pencilled in target for Dashel Drasher this season, but he could revert to hurdles before jumping a fence as Scott intends to seek suitably soft ground.

A switch back to hurdles has proved fruitful for the horse in the past, as he won a valuable Newbury handicap over the smaller obstacles last season before resuming his chasing career.

Dashel Drasher winning over hurdles at Newbury
Dashel Drasher winning over hurdles at Newbury (David Davies/PA)

“He’s back and he’s working very well, we’re looking forward to getting some rain,” said Scott.

“November is usually our start date, but whether he starts out over hurdles or fences I think is very much dependent on the ground.

“We have the Ascot Chase in mind with our plans, but as to whether he goes out first time over hurdles or fences, we are quite open-minded.

“I think the right race will be where the right ground is, but he’s certainly come back in very well and is ready to go.

“I’m not sure, off his handicap mark, if we’d worry about running him in a handicaps or whether we’d go for weight-for-age because he wouldn’t have any penalties in those.”

Matt Griffiths aboard Dashel Drasher
Matt Griffiths aboard Dashel Drasher (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Dashel Drasher has often been the mount of jockey Matt Griffiths, who has been out of action since suffering serious injuries in a car accident last October.

Griffiths has been supported by the Injured Jockeys Fund throughout his recovery and is back in the saddle at Scott’s Somerset stable.

“He has been up here and ridden quite regularly, he’s making good progress,” the trainer said.

“Physically he’s in good form and the IJF have been absolutely brilliant in looking after him.”

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