No Questions Asked seeking Lightning strike

No Questions Asked bids for Grade Two honours in the Fitzdares Your Personal Bookmaker Lightning Novices’ Chase at Windsor on Friday.

The eight-year-old was a smart novice hurdler who has made the transition to chasing well, winning on debut at Ascot and then finishing second in the John Francome Chase at Newbury.

He went on to finish third in the Noel Chase at Ascot, athough that was a 13-length reverse, and trainer Ben Pauling hopes to see the chestnut closer to the action this time.

“Nothing really came out of the Ascot run, he was sore in his back but we’ve addressed that,” he said.

“He’s one I’d be thinking about getting a fourth run into so he can run in some open handicaps.

“He’s a real strong traveller and could be one for something like the Grand Annual.”

Dan Skelton’s Be Aware lines up having switched to jumping fences with real promise this season, winning a handicap on debut and then finishing second behind Henry de Bromhead’s July Flower in an Arkle trial at Cheltenham.

He then contested the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown in early December, finishing second again behind Nicky Henderson’s high-class prospect Lulamba.

“Soft ground won’t be a negative and he probably leads on figures here,” Skelton said via his Ladbrokes blog.

“I hope it proves that way. He can be a little inconsistent in his behaviour before races, but the more he races the more he is getting out of that. He is a good jumper and hopefully he proves to be the one to beat. Fingers crossed he can go and get a Grade Two.”

Olly Murphy is represented by Alnilam, fourth in the Wayward Lad at Kempton over Christmas following the odd sketchy jump.

“He’s a few pounds wrong at the weights with Dan’s horse, but he hasn’t had a fair crack of the whip as he hasn’t jumped well enough on his last two starts,” Murphy said.

“If he puts in a solid round of jumping I don’t think he’ll be far away. He’s had excuses the last twice he’s run – he made a mistake at one of the Railway fences in the Grade One and then landed in the middle of second at Kempton the last day.”

Jonjo and AJ O’Neill run Roadlesstravelled, who makes his chasing debut in stiff company having not been seen since March.

Jonjo O’Neill jr takes the ride and told Sky Sports Racing: “He did well early last year, but the wheels kind of fell off after that for a couple of reasons. We always wanted to go chasing, but throwing him in a Grade Two won’t be easy.

“It will be good to get him back out.”

Completing the field is Gary and Josh Moore’s Hansard, who will be a popular horse in the market after his second-placed run in the Wayward Lad.