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Racecards

14:20 Cheltenham

Sporting Index Chase (A Cross Country Chase) (Class B)

  • 16 Runners
  • Distance: 3m 7f
  • Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 8m 37.20s
  • 16 Ran
1
Silk -
2
Silk -
33/1

    3
    Silk -
    16/1

      1
      Silk - YELLOW, MAROON cap
      • Form 164032-
      • Age 8
      • Weight 11-8

      held up, steady headway from 17th, led 3 out, headed soon after last, weakened run in

      2
      Silk - RED, WHITE star, striped sleeves, YELLOW cap
      • Form 2210-16
      • Age 8
      • Weight 11-8

      mid-division until weakened 4 out

      3
      Silk - Red and Yellow (quartered), Yellow spots on Red sleeves and cap
      • Form 4-22165
      • Age 9
      • Weight 11-8

      in touch when mistake and unseated rider 2nd

      4
      Silk - DARK BLUE, LIGHT BLUE disc, LIGHT BLUE and WHITE quartered cap
      14/1
      • Form 1P-P404
      • Age 10
      • Weight 11-8

      prominent until weakened 3 out

      5
      Silk - ROYAL BLUE, GREY cross belts, GREY sleeves, ROYAL BLUE armlets, BLACK cap
      • Form 4/15P01-
      • Age 10
      • Weight 11-8

      always behind, tailed off from 14th, pulled up before 18th

      6
      Silk - Blue, green club

      Trinitro

      33 b
      16/1
      • Form 211-122
      • Age 11
      • Weight 11-8

      led, hard ridden and headed 3 out, rallied gamely run in

      7
      Silk - Purple, Red epaulets, Pink sleeves, Red cap
      • Form 2U10-P2
      • Age 9
      • Weight 11-5

      in touch when , mistake and unseated rider 4th

      8
      Silk - White, Royal Blue star, Royal Blue sleeves, White armlets, White cap, Royal Blue star
      25/1
      • Form 2164P-5
      • Age 8
      • Weight 11-5

      in touch when blundered and fell 4th

      9
      Silk - White, Light Green star, Light Green cap, White spots
      • Form 1-64060
      • Age 7
      • Weight 11-5

      behind, kept on under pressure from 4 out, never nearer

      10
      Silk - Light Blue, Dark Blue braces, White sleeves
      16/1
      • Form 22/15-34
      • Age 9
      • Weight 11-5

      held up and behind, steady headway and not fluent 15th, close up 22nd, mistake 27th, ridden to lead soon afetr last, stayed on well

      11
      Silk - DARK BLUE, PINK sash, PINK sleeves, DARK BLUE armlets, DARK BLUE cap, PINK spots
      8/1
      • Form 2035PP-
      • Age 9
      • Weight 11-5

      always struggling in rear

      12
      Silk - PINK, EMERALD GREEN cross belts, armlets and spots on cap
      33/1
      • Form 4P40P-P
      • Age 10
      • Weight 11-5

      held up and behind, steady headway from 21st, ridden and close up from 2 out, every chance last, not quicken run in

      13
      Silk - White, Red triple diamond, White sleeves, Red stars and stars on cap
      • Form 3-21365
      • Age 12
      • Weight 11-2

      mid-division, mistake 25th, ridden along when blundered 27th, soon struggling

      14
      Silk - Black, Red stars, Red cap
      25/1
      • Form 32-1024
      • Age 8
      • Weight 10-13

      in touch, ridden along from 19th, mistake 21st, soon lost place

      15
      Silk - White, Dark Blue hoop, Red stars on sleeves, Red cap
      16/1
      • Form 1-32123
      • Age 7
      • Weight 10-13

      prominent until weakened from 25th

      16
      Silk - Yellow, Dark Blue chevrons on sleeves, Yellow cap
      20/1
      • Form 21P202
      • Age 6
      • Weight 10-13

      prominent, mistake 24th, blundered 26th, outpaced by leaders from 3 out

      In depth

      Verdict

      A very competitive heat, where even though all horses must be schooled over the track before running, raceform over the cross country course is a definite advantage. And where better to start than with last year's winner Lucky Clover. The ten-year-old put up a really gutsy effort to deny Galapiat du Mesnil in last year's renewal, but after a hard race he was pulled up back over course and distance next time and looked exposed after that in handicap company. Recent efforts have not been inspirational, but a look at these fences should spark some sort of renewed enthusiasm, though whether it will be enough to win again is open to question. Galapiat du Mesnil would certainly not be winning out of turn, after being the bridesmaid on three successive occasions over course and distance. he has a handy 6lb pull with Lucky Clover for last year's defeat and is entitled to overturn the form on that basis alone. Also on the plus side is his trainer's form and his ability to run well after a break (he has been off the course since May). Game and genuine, the French-bred gelding just seems to get tapped for toe when the pace starts to quicken and that could again find him out here, but with A P McCoy booked for the ride, he gets the TEAMtalk vote to succeed here at the fourth attempt. There is little else in terms of cross country form to go on, but one that does appeal on his first attempt at the course is Ceanannas Mor. His one length defeat of subsequent Market Rasen summer chase champion Dorans Gold in last year's Charisma Gold Cup reads well, but a 12lb hike up the handicap for that win saw him struggle as a result. He will love the trip and ground, jumps well and goes particularly well fresh, and he is taken to give the selection most to do. There are plenty of other grand old staying types on display here, including Royal Tommy, a soft ground winner at Chepstow last time who would need to find more here, Smarty, second in the 2001 Grand National but best watched at the moment, and General Claremont who will act on the ground and relish the trip, but who again looks like he will need to improve to land this.