Reve De Sivola

20th-Dec-2014

I am giving Reve De Sivola one more chance here.

This is Reve De Sivola’s race. He has won it for the last two years, and you can be sure that Nick Williams has been training him for today from a long way out. This is not a stepping stone on the road to Cheltenham or anywhere else, like it is for at least three of his rivals. This is Reve De Sivola’s destination.

He loves Ascot, he loves this time of year, and he loves soft ground. He has run just twice over hurdles at Ascot, and he has won twice, the last two renewals of this race. He has also run once over fences at Ascot, when he finished a staying-on third in a good listed chase, having been hampered at the second last fence.

Zarkandar sets a high standard, and Reve De Sivola has 18 lengths to find with Paul Nicholls’ horse on their running at Auteuil last month. However, Nick Williams said afterwards that the ground had not been soft enough for his horse. Also, Auteuil is a flat track, and they have an extra furlong today. There will be an extra premium on stamina today, particularly if – and you hope that he will – Reve De Sivola sets out to make all, to make it a true test.

Medinas is an honest-to-goodness performer, he is a player in the race, and Aubusson is a really progressive youngster. However, Reve De Sivola’s stable companion might not want the ground to be too attritional, and his regular rider Lizzie Kelly cannot claim her 7lb allowance.

Of course, Reve De Sivola may be a shadow of his former self, but he may not be. If he is going to win one race this season, it is going to be today’s race.

REVE DE SIVOLA WON (SP 13/2)

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