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13:45 Cheltenham

Sharp Novices' Hurdle (Class A) (Grade 2)

  • 9 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 110y
  • Going: Good
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 4m 2.40s
  • 9 Ran
1
Silk - Emerald green, scarlet hooped sleeves and cap
50/1
  • Form 011522
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-7

tracked leaders, not fluent 3rd, jumped slowly and lost place next, tailed off approaching 3 out

2
Silk - ROYAL BLUE, EMERALD GREEN sleeves, WHITE cap, EMERALD GREEN spots
5/1
  • Form 311111
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-7

in touch, headway 4th, challenged 3 out, led 2 out, kept on well

3
Silk - Yellow, Dark Blue star, armlets and star on cap
4/1
  • Form 322-111
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-7

held up in touch, headway 4th, hit 3 out, ridden and weakened after 2 out

4
Silk - Royal blue, white triple diamond, checked sleeves, royal blue cap, white diamond
10/1
  • Form 30-11
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-4

held up in rear, not fluent 3rd, pushed along 4th, ridden and outpaced after 3 out, not fluent 2 out, rallied approaching last, stayed on

5
Silk - Emerald green, orange hoops, white cap
  • Form 1/1P-1
  • Age 5
  • Weight 11-4

held up in rear, headway on outside after 4th, ridden 2 out, weakened approaching last

6
Silk - Dark green, pink and white striped sleeves, pink cap
5/1
  • Form 3125-2
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0

tracked leader, mistake 2nd, led approaching 3 out, headed 2 out, stayed on same pace

7
Silk - Emerald Green and White diamonds, Orange sleeves and cap
100/1
  • Form 235532
  • Age 4
  • Weight 11-0

always behind, tailed off from 5th

8
Silk - Black and Light Blue (quartered), Black sleeves, White cap
15/2
  • Form 452-11F
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-0

led until approaching 3 out, soon weakened, eased once beaten, tailed off

9
Silk - MAROON, GREY disc and armlets, quartered cap
33/1
  • Form 1/12-5
  • Age 5
  • Weight 11-0

held up and behind, not fluent 1st, lost touch 3 out, tailed off

In depth

Verdict

Marcel faces his stiffest assignment to date but Martin Pipe's gelding has done nothing wrong since joining the stable and is taken to continue winning ways, with Mister Flint and Nyrche rated the main dangers. The selection has won all five starts since joining Martin Pipe's stable and has gradually stepped up in class, taking it all in his stride. Mister Flint was a second flight faller behind the selection at Kempton last time and has claims if that has not affected his confidence. Paul Webber's Shuhood is two from two this term and cannot be ruled out but this does represent a step up in class for the son of Kingmambo. Jonjo O'Neill's The Rising Moon is less exposed than most and is another worthy of a mention, especially with Tony McCoy in the plate, although a bigger threat may come from Nyrche. Having won twice in May, the four-year-old made a winning return at Wetherby last month and with Alan King's stable really hitting form now there is probably even more to come from the French bred. With the stable of Nigel Twiston-Davies continuing in such good heart Baby Run cannot be discounted but Marcel has done nothing wrong and gets the vote.