Racecards
14:05 Cheltenham
Citipost Novices' Hurdle (Class 2)
- 14 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f 56y
- Going: Good (Good to Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £20,000 added
- Winner: £12,512
- 2nd: £3,696
- 3rd: £1,848
- 4th: £924
- Form 30-1310
- Age 7
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 145
- Trainer F O'Brien
- Jockey P J Brennan
tracked leaders, not fluent 6th, ridden after 2 out, outpaced before last, stayed on same pace
- Form 1-41141
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
tracked leaders, challenged after 2 out, every chance when bad mistake last, not recover, kept on
- Form 17-124
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey Joshua Moore
held up towards rear, headway after 3 out, jumped right last, edged left and went 3rd final 220 yards, no impression on winner, kept on
- Form 5-11255
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 138
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey N D Fehily
held up towards rear, headway 5th, switched left before last, went 2nd flat, led final 150 yards, ran on well, readily
- Form 221
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer N J Hawke
- Jockey Tom Cannon
tracked leaders, pushed along after 5th, not fluent and lost place 3 out, well beaten next
- Form 351732
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer C L Tizzard
- Jockey H Cobden
held up in mid-division, lost place before not fluent 5th, behind 3 out
- Form 1-1351
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer H Fry
- Jockey B J Geraghty
held up towards rear, headway 5th, chasing leaders 2 out, stayed on same pace approaching last
- Form 3-F4131
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer K C Bailey
- Jockey David Bass
in touch in mid-division, mistake 4th, not fluent 5th, soon lost place, not fluent 7th, well beaten from 3 out
- Form 2-21133
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 138
- Trainer S Edmunds
- Jockey C Gethings
tracked leader, led approaching last, hung left and headed final 150 yards, no impression on winner after, kept on
- Form 05-4412
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 130
led, headed before last, weakened flat
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer F O'Brien
- Jockey Alain Cawley
behind, not fluent 5th, mistake next, well beaten 2 out
- Form 53
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
held up in rear, not fluent 5th, some headway but still disputing 8th last, ran on flat, went 5th final 150 yards, not reach leaders
Mzuzu (IRE)
130- Form 1-3
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey T Scudamore
held up towards rear on outside, took keen hold, headway after 2 out, ridden and no impression before last
- Form 1/4
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer A M Hales
- Jockey Kielan Woods
mid-division, headway 7th, chasing leaders on outside when pecked slightly 2 out, weakened before last
Verdict
A fascinating start to a cracking card. Poetic Rhythm won the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December. He didn’t run up to that form over 3m in the Albert Bartlett but is probably back over his best trip today. Theclockisticking was second in a Grade 2 over 2m at Ascot two runs ago but, along with Dell Oro, was well beaten upped in distance at Huntingdon next time. Onefortheroadtom beat last week’s Aintree Grade 1 winner Lalor on his hurdling debut and wasn’t suited by heavy going here in January. He warmed up for this by winning a jumpers’ bumper and is much respected. Captain Cattistock has won three of his five hurdle starts but was well beaten when tried in this grade at Ascot in February. DIESE DES BIEFFES’ form has a solid look about it, including his latest fifth here in the Martin Pipe in which he would have finished closer but for a last-flight error – he has decent claims reverting to novice company. Boreham Bill could sneak into a place granted luck in-running and makes more appeal than the penalised Le Musee and Silver Kayf.
Formwatch
Poetic Rhythm (IRE) 10-1 (11-5) In touch on inside, pushed along from 8th, lot place when ridden after 2 out, weakened between last 2, tailed off, 10th of 20, dist behind Kilbricken Storm (11-5) at Cheltenham 3m (1) sft in Mar.
Captain Cattistock 15-8 (11-12) Made all, clear before 2 out, easily, won at Wincanton 2m 5f (4) hvy in Mar beating Run To Milan (11-6) by 6l, 6 ran.
Dell Oro (FR) 16-1 (11-4) Held up in 4th, close up 3 out, soon outpaced, weakened into 4th 2 out, 4th of 6, 31 1/4l behind Vinndication (11-4) at Huntingdon 2m 4f lst (1) sft in Feb.
Diese Des Bieffes (FR) 17-2 (11-3) Tracked leaders, ridden after 2 out, 3rd when mistake last, kept on same pace flat, 5th of 23, 9l behind Blow By Blow (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Mar.
Le Musee (FR) 5-1 (11-2) Chased leaders, 2nd at 7th, led going well 2 out, pushed out and kept on strongly run-in, won at Taunton 2m 3f mdn (4) sft in Mar beating Vodka All The Way (11-2) by 6l, 12 ran.
Mister Malarky 3-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders, went 2nd after 3rd until 5th, not fluent 7th, mistake next, led before 2 out, headed approaching last, no impression on winner flat, 2nd of 6, 5l behind Traffic Fluide (11-0) at Plumpton 2m 5f (4) hvy in Apr.
Onefortheroadtom 2-1fav (11-4) Held up in last pair, closer in 3rd in 3rd inside final 3f, plenty to do 2f out, ridden went 2nd inside final 150 yards and closed, led final 50 yards, won going away, won at Kempton 2m 2f (5) pol in Mar beating Diamond Guy (11-4) by 1 1/2l, 8 ran.
Silver Kayf 13-8fav (11-4) Tracked leading pair, 2nd place after 2nd, led 4th until 7th, chased leader, mistake 4 out, flattened 3 out, led again final 100 yards, stayed on, won at Ludlow 2m 5f (4) sft in Mar beating Dans Le Vent (11-4) by 1 1/4l, 7 ran.
Theclockisticking (IRE) 10-3 (11-4) Tracked leaders, close up 7th, mistake 3 out, lost momentum and struggling in 4th after, went 3rd 2 out, no impression on front pair, 3rd of 6, 26 1/4l behind Vinndication (11-4) at Huntingdon 2m 4f lst (1) sft in Feb.
Boreham Bill (IRE) 13-8fav (11-9) Led and raced on inside, went left 1st, hit 3rd, clear before 8th, hit 3 out, went left and hit next, went left last, driven and wandered when strongly pressed run-in, headed and no extra close home, 2nd of 5, nk behind Reikers Island (11-2) at Fontwell 2m 6f (4) sft in Mar.
Cuddles Mcgraw (IRE) 9-1 (10-12) Mid-division, under pressure over 3f out, soon weakened, 13th of 16, 37 1/4l behind Tidal Flow (10-12) at Newbury 2m (5) gs in Nov.
Gosheven (IRE) 25-1 (11-1) Held up, ridden 4 out, headway 2 out, ran on run in, not reach leaders, 3rd of 8, 7 1/4l behind Chosen Path (11-7) at Kempton 2m 5f (4) sft in Mar.
Mzuzu (IRE) 5-2 (11-0) Prominent, went 4rd over 4f out, ridden over 2f out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 10, 26l behind Dramatic Pause (11-0) at Chepstow 2m (6) hvy in Dec.
Quarry Leader (IRE) 18-1 (11-2) Tracked leader, led after 3 out until pushed along and headed approaching 2 out, weakened 2 out, 4th of 6, 21 1/4l behind Vinndication (11-8) at Ascot 2m 6f (3) sft in Jan.