Silks and Shenanigans: Ascot Chase Raceday: High Heels, High Stakes, and Horses That Actually Jump. Tomorrow’s Racing 13 February

Hold onto your top hats and your betting slips, it’s Ascot Chase Raceday. While the rest of the world is busy stressing over Valentine’s dinner reservations, we’re focusing on the only love affair that matters: the one between a mud-splattered chaser and a winning post.

This Saturday, February 14th, 2026, the Berkshire turf is hosting a card so stacked it makes a Vegas deck look like a game of Go Fish. We’ve got Grade 1 glory, Premier Handicaps, and enough “inside track” gossip to keep the bookies sweating.

🏆 The Main Event: The Betfair Ascot Chase (15:35)

This is the big one. A Grade 1 steeple-chase over 2 miles and 5 furlongs. Last year, Pic D’Orhy treated the field like they were standing still, and the whispers from the Ditcheat yard suggest Paul Nicholls is looking for a repeat performance.

The Timeform View: Keep an eye on the ratings. If Jonbon shows up (rated a massive 166), he’s the class act of the field. However, Pic D’Orhy (162) is the course specialist who eats this distance for breakfast.
The “Insider” Snag: Don’t sleep on Edwardstone. He’s the veteran in the room (12 years young!), but his jumping is still as slick as a greased lightning bolt.

🏇 The Swinley Handicap Chase (15:00)

A Premier Handicap that’s essentially a 3-mile war of attrition.

The Wise Money: In d’Or is the name on everyone’s lips. Having recently switched to Fergal O’Brien, this French-bred gelding finished a cracking 3rd at Ascot in January. He’s “well-in” on his current mark of 134. Not running 🏃
The Dark Horse: Joyeux Machin for Dan Skelton. Skelton has been public about this one—he’s got the “leading numbers” and is a rightful favorite. He’s been knocking on the door in big handicaps all season; Saturday might be the day the door finally gives way.

💎 The “NAPs” & Timeform Best Bets

If you’re looking to build a “Valentine’s Day Fund” (or just pay for the petrol home), here are the horses the data-crunchers are obsessed with:

13:15

Talk To The Man

Nicholls/Cobden combo. Won its last start impressively; the “weight-for-age” advantage is a massive plus here.

14:25

Kateira

Dan Skelton’s mare. She’s top-rated for a reason. Classy, tough, and the Skelton yard is currently on fire.

16:10

Top Guy

The Skelton stable “insider” tip. He carries leading numbers into the closer and should handle the ground perfectly.

💡 The Final Word (A bit of Wits & Wisdom)

Ascot in February is a fickle beast. It’s “Soft” one minute and “Heavy” the next. If you see a horse with a high Timeform “p” (denoting potential for improvement), grab it.

📊 Timeform Best Rated Horses

These are the runners that sit atop the figures for their respective races:

13:50 – Thomas Mor (Rated 147) The highest-rated in the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase. He tops the field by a significant 10lb margin on adjusted ratings. Timeform marks him as a “C” (Course winner) and “D” (Distance winner), making him the statistical standout.
14:25 – Kateira (Rated 143) In the Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle, Dan Skelton’s mare carries top weight but also the top rating. While the field is deep (look out for Listentoyourheart), the Timeform “Master Rating” suggests she is the class act if she handles the likely soft ground.
15:35 – Pic D’Orhy (Rated 162) With Jonbon not officially declared for the Ascot Chase, Pic D’Orhy is the clear Timeform top-rated. He has a perfect “1” next to his name for course suitability. He’s essentially the king of this 2m 5f trip.

For tomorrow, Friday, February 13, 2026, Timeform and major analysts have highlighted several key runners across the UK cards. The standout Timeform-sponsored race is at Kelso, which naturally features some of their highest-rated selections of the day.

Here are the primary Naps identified for action February 13 2026:

Milcree (15:35 Kelso): The primary Timeform/Sporting Life NAP.
Bossman Jack (13:40 Chepstow): A strong “Banker” selection for early afternoon cards.
Castanea Breeze (16:00 Fakenham): Noted as a secondary NAP/best bet for the Fakenham meeting.

Race Spotlight: The Timeform Handicap Chase (15:00 Kelso)

In the race bearing their own name, Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings favor the following:

Bill Baxter: Likely favorite, suited by the step back up in trip.
Elvis Mail: The class horse of the race (OR 142), loves Kelso.
Maximilian: Lightly raced and dangerous now moving into handicaps.

Top Rated Horses (By Course) today 14 February 2026

Timeform’s “Top Rated” horses often carry the “p” (improvement likely) or “Horse In Focus” flags.

Ascot