Page last updated at 15:16 GMT, Saturday, 14 February 2009

Classy Voy Por secures Ascot win

Highlights - Voy Por wins Ascot Chase Former Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Voy Por Ustedes continued his build-up to the Cheltenham Festival by winning the Betfair Ascot Chase. The Alan King-trained horse, who is favourite for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, showed his class with a 14-length win over Gwanako. Ruby Walsh looked the main threat turning into the straight on Gwanako. But Robert Thornton's mount showed his talent, pulling clear despite his dislike for the soft ground. King said: "I've been in a dreadful state all day and I very nearly didn't run him because of the ground but Barry Simpson (the owner Sir Robert Ogden's racing manager) and I talked about it and we thought it would be rather pathetic not to run. "Two and a half miles probably just helps him jump a bit better and he is a special horse. "We'll leave him in the Queen Mother but provided Master Minded goes there, we'll probably be running in the Ryanair." Elsewhere, there was another stylish performance from leading staying hurdler Kasbah Bliss who claimed an easy win in the Blue Square Hurdle at Haydock. Francois Doumen's charge was second behind Inglis Drever in last year's World Hurdle and strengthened his position at the head of the market for that event without being seriously challenged. Hills Of Aran set a strong gallop in the testing conditions but Christophe Pieux waited patiently before taking the lead at the last and sprinting clear to win by eight lengths.