Cave digs Deep to claim Ascot Silver Cup

Jack Tudor produced an inspired ride as Deep Cave got up in the final stride to pip Leave Of Absence in the Howden Silver Cup Chase at Ascot.

Trained in Wales by Christian Williams, the seven-year-old had won at the Grand National meeting last season and returned to action this term with a win at Bangor.

Up 10lb for those wins he had to prove he had improved again and he was ridden with confidence by Tudor.

Dropped out in the rear, he still had plenty of horses in front of him turning into the straight as Rex Dingle on Leave Of Absence appeared to have stolen it.

As the leader just drifted of the rail, however, Tudor did not need to be asked twice to go for a daring run and he was rewarded with a win by a head.

“We thought it was a little bit of a rush to get him to the Becher Chase and we thought this was the obvious race when working back from the National,” said Williams.

“He only went up 4lb for winning at Bangor and he might not end up getting in, but there’s no real panic with him as he’s only a young horse and the youngest horse in this race.

“I told Jack to take his time on him and if he lacks experience today then there will be another £100,000 chase he can run in after Christmas. You need good owners to be able to give those instructions.

“I don’t think we knocked him about too much last year before Aintree, he came to us from France and didn’t have much of a break and had two bad falls round Auteuil. He jumped the big fences well but had two crunching falls at the easier ones, so obviously Bangor was a great place to start off at.

“He probably lacked a little experience early in the race here but Jack took his time and gave him a great ride producing him at the right time.”

He went on: “We try to appreciate days like this which we probably didn’t three or four years ago and when the family comes racing with me now it’s special and to get a winner makes it even better.”