Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase
Grade 2, Kempton Park 14:30
£100,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus,
2m, Class 1  
Saturday 27th December 2025

BetPlay

1 Thistle Ask 15/8
2 Saint Segal 9/2
3 Boothill 18/1
7 ran Distances: 10l, 14l, 1½l
Time: 3m 45.93s (fast by 4.07s)

Thistle Ask delivered a polished display, continuing the fine winter form of Dan and Harry Skelton with a performance built on accurate jumping and strong travelling.

Always prominent on the sharp, speed-favouring circuit, Thistle Ask moved through the race with increasing authority, travelling comfortably just off the pace before edging closer as the field swung for home. His jumping held up well under pressure, and once asked to stretch after the second-last, he found plenty to assert his superiority.

Turning in, the race quickly took on a decisive look as Thistle Ask ranged upsides the leaders, and a fluent leap at the final fence sealed the outcome. He pulled clear on the run-in to score convincingly, showing both the pace required for Kempton and the resolution to see the job through in a competitive Grade Two contest.

The victory further underlined the effectiveness of the Skelton operation at this level, with Thistle Ask shaping like a horse well suited to similar tests through the heart of the winter, particularly around sharp tracks where his rhythm and accuracy can be fully exploited.

Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase
£100,000 guaranteed,
4yo plus, 2m, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Thistle Ask 8 11-3 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 15/8
2 10 Saint Segal 7 11-12 Jane Williams Ciaran Gethings 9/2
3 14 Boothill 10 11-6 Harry Fry Bryan Carver 18/1
4 1½ Sans Bruit 7 10-10 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 12/1
5 31 Calgary Tiger 10 8-2 William de Best-Turner James Best 150/1
UR Gabriel's Getaway 8 10-3 Anthony Honeyball Rex Dingle 11/1
UR Ryan's Rocket 7 10-6 Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke 7/4F

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