After seeing Wilful win the County (and what a good result for that race it was, not being one of the usual suspects), and Alexei’s good show in the Champion Hurdle, the form of that Ascot handicap just before Christmas looks hot.
(Race result at https://www.racingpost.com/results/2/ascot/2025-12-20/907815).
Hot Fuss split those two that day and then beat Wilful at Windsor next, and hasn’t been punished too much by the weights. I’m going in.