Stewart sees bright side of Ascot doubt

Leading owner Andy Stewart has mixed feelings about Ascot's attempts to beat the freeze in readiness for Saturday's Long Walk Hurdle meeting.

Dual World Hurdle winner Big Buck's, whom Stewart owns, is set to take on nine rivals in a bid to land the 3m 1f event for the second year running.

The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old is undefeated in nine starts over the smaller obstacles but all his form has come running on left-handed tracks.

With temperatures set to plummet again towards the end of the week, the meeting is already in doubt and Stewart would not be unhappy if the fixture was called off.

He said: "If it doesn't go ahead, then I will hope the meeting is transferred to Newbury on the 29th.

"Ascot lost the meeting last year and while it would be a shame for them if it happened again, Big Buck's has never been right handed."

Big Buck's beat Duc De Regniere on his reappearance in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last month and Nicky Henderson's campaigner could reoppose. The trainer has another possible runner in Carole's Legacy.

Meanwhile, Stewart is fronting one of around 20 bids for the Tote, which provides between £11million and £20m a year to horseracing.

The City businessman said: "We submitted the bid on Friday and the government will come back to us in the second week in January."