Scott eyeing Christmas clash for Golden Ace

could be set for a clash with Constitution Hill in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle.

Jeremy Scott’s smart mare made her comeback at Ascot last weekend and looked set to make a winning return until fading after the final flight to be beaten two lengths by Lucky Place.

The form of her Cheltenham Festival success last term has had several significant boosts though, with both Jade De Grugy and Brighterdaysahead winning Grade One races since finishing behind her in March.

“I think I just got it wrong at the end of the day. We were probably a little bit short of work and I probably should have run her over two miles with that in mind,” said Scott.

“She still travelled into it really well and looked like she might win jumping the last, but she didn’t find too much after it.

“We had had some problems so she was a bit short of work, but she was last off the bridle.

“The Christmas Hurdle is one of the options for her and at the moment I’d say that is where we are leading towards.”

On the same card Scott’s stable stalwart also made a solid return to action when beaten less than four lengths by Pic D’Orhy in the Ascot Chase.

“I was really pleased with Dashel Drasher, his first run back for a long time, I thought he put up a really good display and he looked to be thoroughly enjoying himself,” said Scott.

“Dashel Drasher has run in the Winter Million before so that’s a possible target, but there’s also a handicap at Ascot on January 18 that could come into it as he has been dropped a few pounds and he loves Ascot.

“He could now run in a veterans’ race but there aren’t any qualifiers for that other than over two and a half miles at Cheltenham in a couple of weeks, but that might be a possibility later in the season.”