Disappointment for Goshen on eagerly-awaited fencing bow at Ascot

Gowel Road ran out an easy winner of the Ascot Underwriting Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase as Goshen failed to fire on his fencing bow at Ascot.

All eyes were on the Gary Moore-trained Goshen – who suffered a famously unlucky last-flight mishap in the 2020 Triumph Hurdle when well clear – as he set out in a new sphere, with Jamie Moore’s mount the 11-8 favourite in a four-runner contest.

Everything seemed to be going to plan as Goshen set out in his customary enthusiastic fashion, but after Samarrive grabbed the initiative at the halfway stage in the two-mile-three-furlong heat, the Moore runner started to drop away sharply.

Meanwhile Samarrive was travelling powerfully in front for Lorcan Williams and while Gowel Road was trying to keep pace, it looked a matter of when the Paul Nicholls-trained runner would kick on.

However, he suffered a nasty fall at the penultimate obstacle, leaving the Sam Twiston-Davies-ridden Gowel Road to coast home by 18 lengths from Cobblers Dream with Goshen persisting to finish a distant third, beaten a further 47 lengths.

Gowel Road was the only one of the four runners to have had a previous start over fences and trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies felt the experience had proved crucial.

He said: “He was the outsider of four and the only one to have jumped fences in public.

“Sam said he was adept at his fences and was never going to fall.

“Fortune favours the brave on these posh jobs, and it worked.

“I have absolutely nothing in mind for him, but all roads lead to Cheltenham.”

Moore said that while the ground had not been ideal for Goshen, his stable star might ultimately be best returning to the smaller obstacles.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “Obviously the ground is not what he wants, he’s a proper soft ground horse – the softer the better – and whether he’s a chaser or not, I don’t really think so

“He’s probably not cut out as the make or shape of a chaser, although he schooled very well at home – it’s a bit different coming to racecourse when you’re put under pressure and today they were all in control of the race and we weren’t.

“He jumped well enough, economical, but they were sort of always going better than him.

“We will probably go back over hurdles now.

“I would give him one more chance (over fences) on very soft ground. To be fair to him, he’s got round today and it’s not the easiest place to get round, but he took a long time to do it and that’s no good!”

Reflecting further he added: “His jumping was good and economical but he wasn’t quick at them, while the short-sleeve weather took away his favoured soft ground.

“Whether he’s a chaser the jury is out, but I would say probably not.”