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Racecards

12:10 Cheltenham

Cheltenham Business Club Novices' Chase (Class 2)

  • 5 Runners
  • Distance: 3m 1f 110y
  • Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
  • Surface: Turf
  • £22,000 added
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 7m 1.80s
  • Off Time: 12:12:17
  • 5 Ran
1
Silk -
2
Silk -
5/6

    1
    Silk - MAROON and LIGHT BLUE diabolo, LIGHT BLUE sleeves, quartered cap

    Ballyfitz

    27 C
    5/6
    • Form 1152-11
    • Age 8
    • Weight 11-9
    • Official Rating 152

    led, not fluent 7th, mistake 13th, not fluent 4 out, ridden and headed approaching last, not pace of winner

    2
    Silk - Beige, Brown Cross of Lorraine, hooped cap
    • Form 1P2-771
    • Age 5
    • Weight 11-6
    • Official Rating 133

    tracked leader until 5th, reminders, slow next, not fluent 12th, soon lost touch, tailed off

    3
    Silk - Yellow and White check, White sleeves, Royal Blue armlets
    7/1
    • Form 390-212
    • Age 7
    • Weight 11-6

    tracked leader from 5th, pecked 4 out, ridden and every chance 2 out, soon outpaced, mistake last

    4
    Silk - White, Royal Blue epaulets, White sleeves, Red spots, Royal Blue cap
    15/8
    • Form 1213P-1
    • Age 5
    • Weight 11-6

    held up behind leaders, went 3rd after 14th, joined leaders 2 out, quicken to lead when pecked last, readily

    5
    Silk - Royal Blue, Yellow disc, White sleeves and cap
    200/1
    • Form 154F58
    • Age 8
    • Weight 11-1
    • Official Rating 65

    held up in last pair, mistake 4th, blundered 8th, reminders after 12th, weakened 16th, tailed off

    Previous results

    In depth

    Verdict

    Disappointingly just the five runners line up for the opener on the card at Cheltenham but there is plenty of quality among them with BALLYFITZ, just preferred to What A Friend and Tot O'Whiskey. Malcolm Jefferson's gelding has already shown that he is better over fences than he was over hurdles having not been out of the first two in any of his three starts and running a super race when chasing home Fassel in a decent graduation chase at Carlisle last month. Proven over the trip, he has more solid claims than Don McCain's Rightway Star who looks to be going the right way but needs to improve to trouble the judge. Mr Parson looks to be some way out of his depth and of more interest may be the Paul Nicholls-trained What A Friend. The five-year-old showed good form over hurdles last term and made a pleasing start to his chasing career when landing a beginners' chase at Uttoxeter at the end of October. There should be more to come from the son of Alflora but Ballyfitz sets a decent standard judged by his victory over another Nicholls inmate Big Fella Thanks here last month and a reproduction of that form may well suffice under his penalty.

    Formwatch

    Ballyfitz 4-1 (11-7) Made all, not fluent 15th, hit 3 out, outstayed rivals 2 out, pushed out, won at Cheltenham 3m nov chs (2) sft in Nov beating Big Fella Thanks (10-13) by 11l, 7 ran.

    Rightway Star (IRE) 14-1 (11-2) In touch, led 3 out, headed when hit last, rallied to regain lead flat, all out, won at Haydock 2m 4f beg chs (4) gd in Nov beating Naiad du Misselot (11-2) by a hd, 7 ran.

    Tot O'Whiskey 11-8fav (11-6) Prominent, led 3 out, driven and headed near line, 2nd of 6, hd behind Faasel (11-2) at Carlisle 2m 5f chs (2) hvy in Nov.

    What A Friend 9-4 (11-4) Chased clear leading pair, closed 10th, went 2nd 13th, slight lead 2 out, shaken up to assert flat, stayed on, won at Uttoxeter 3m beg chs (4) gs in Oct beating Carruthers (11-4) by 2l, 7 ran.

    Mr Parson (IRE) 16-1 (10-0) Towards rear, raced wide, ridden and effort 10th, hampered next, weakened 14th, 8th of 9, well behind Plum Pudding (11-5) at Towcester 3m hcp chs 0-100 (4) sft in Nov.