Racecards
15:20 Cheltenham
34 Festival Winners Commercial First Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
- 19 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- £15,000 added
- Form 13428-0
- Age 4
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
led, clear 3 out, joined and jumped left last, soon headed, weakened flat
- Form 7-P6339
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey J W Farrelly
mid-division, weakened soon after 3 out
- Form 42217F-
- Age 7
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
held up in rear, brief effort approaching 3 out, soon beaten
- Form U0159P-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 136
- Trainer C Tinkler
- Jockey T Scudamore
held up in rear, steady headway approaching 3 out, soon chased leaders, weakened between last 2
- Form 21147/
- Age 7
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 129
always behind, mistake 4 out
- Form 121211
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer Mrs A M Thorpe
- Jockey T J O'Brien
held up towards rear, no chance when fell 3 out
- Form 70-8112
- Age 5
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer C P Morlock
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
mid-division, no chance when slightly hampered 3 out, pulled up and dismounted before last
- Form 515120-
- Age 7
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 124
mistake 1st, held up, steady headway to chase leaders 4 out, weakened soon after 2 out
- Form P-P954P
- Age 8
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey Mr A J Berry
held up towards read, headway approaching 2 out, kept on under pressure flat
- Form 059-213
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer T J Taaffe
- Jockey N P Madden
held up in rear, headway approaching 3 out, ridden to challenge last, stayed on under pressure flat
Malay
118- Form 312/1-56
- Age 9
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer Mrs N Pook
- Jockey W McCarthy
behind, never reached challenging position
Harrycone Lewis
187- Form 6121P0-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 120
in touch, weakened before 2 out
- Form 8/76162-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer N A Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Tony Evans
chased leaders, mistake 4 out, weakened next
- Form 14P-114
- Age 6
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer M Todhunter
- Jockey D Elsworth
mid-division, mistake 3rd, weakened soon after, 2 out
Lyes Green
187- Form 218P13-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 120
- Trainer O Sherwood
- Jockey L P Aspell
in touch, ridden 3 out, weakened next
- Form 06-PF48
- Age 7
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer H S Howe
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
held up in rear, headway on wide, outside approaching 3 out, stayed on under pressure flat
- Form 127600-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer Ferdy Murphy
- Jockey G Lee
chased leaders, challenged 4 out, mistake and weakened next
Milligan (FR)
177- Form 57649-6
- Age 11
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer Dr P Pritchard
- Jockey J Mogford
chased leader, until weakened approaching 3 out
In depth
Verdict
The market leader often does well in this race, so watch the betting with interest; without that, we will opt for Emotional Article ahead of Kilty Cross and Fair Along. The Triumph Hurdle runner-up, Fair Along, was a very good juvenile hurdler and, having proven himself to be in good heart on the Flat of late, is fully respected in this big field. Rushneyriver comes here as lightly-raced and on the up and, even though he has been raised eight pounds for his latest win, he can also go well. The Pipe stable has always to be feared at this track in this company and, with the stable likely to have identified a likely type for this event, Kilty Cross is very much respected. It must have been tricky for the handicapper to assess Emotional Article but this Irish raider has to come seriously into your calculations given his overall profile and the recent decent form of the stable. As such, he gets the vote, while Ostfanni could go well from among the lightweights, as might Champagne Harry, although he has been off the track for a while. Once again, then, the vote goes to Emotional Article.
Formwatch
Fair Along (GER) 8-1 (11-12) Tracked leader, led 4th to 5th, lost place 3 out, soon weakened, 12th of 17, 20l behind Tycoon Hall (9-13) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-145 (2) gd in Jul.
Quazar (IRE) 7-1 (10-0) Mid-division, weakened 10th, soon behind, 9th of 14, well behind Tribal Venture (10-5) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd.
Cornish Sett (IRE) 5-2jt-fav (10-4) Held up, reminders 7th, in 3rd and close up when fell 4 out in race won by Our Vic (11-1) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp chs Grd 2 (1) gd in Apr, 7 ran.
Valley Ride (IRE) 25-1 (11-4) Prominent until lost place 8th, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Refinement (10-12) at Aintree 3m lst hcp hdl (1) gs in Apr, 21 ran.
Monolith 11-1 (10-10) Held up, ridden approaching 3 out, no impression, 6th of 11, 15l behind Mughas (11-5) at Ayr 2m 6f hcp hdl (2) gd in Apr.
Cardenas (GER) 14-1 (11-8) Chased leaders, weakening when stumbled on bend approaching 3 out, no danger after, 7th of 13, 15l behind Garde Champetre (11-0) at Aintree 2m 4f nov hdl Grd 2 (A) gd in Apr '04.
Rushneeyriver (IRE) 8-1 (10-8) Mid-division, ridden headway 3 out, challenged and led 2 out, hard ridden flat, just held on, won at N Abbot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gs in Aug beating Openide (10-10) by 1/2l, 16 ran.
Harrycat (IRE) 4-1 (11-7) In touch, chased winner 3 out, ridden and no impression when hit next, 2nd of 7, 21l behind Openide (11-4) at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gf in Jul.
Kilty Storm (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) Prominent, 3rd halfway, hampered and lost place after 4 out, soon no extra, 18th of 25, well behind Roadmaker (10-4) at Punchestown 3m hcp hdl 0-130 gd in Apr.
Campaign Trail (IRE) 9-4 (11-5) Held up, outpaced 11th, lost touch 4 out, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Twelve Paces (10-13) at Carlisle 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft, 7 ran.
Emotional Article (IRE) 4-1 (10-11) Mid-division, 6th 4 out, 4th after 3 out, led before 2 out, soon ridden and headed, 3rd and no extra before last, 3rd of 13, 5l behind Sonne Cinq (9-10) at Gowran Park 3m hcp hdl sft.
Malay 12-1 (10-1) Took keen hold, held up, headway 8th, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, 6th of 9, 14l behind Grave Doubts (10-1) at Worcester 3m hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gd in Jun.
Harrycone Lewis 16-1 (10-2) Chased clear leader, ridden and weakened soon after 2 out, 10th of 18, 37l behind Standin Obligation (11-12) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl 0-145 (1) gd in Apr.
Champagne Harry 9-1 (11-8) Chased leader, led approaching 7th, headed last, no extra flat, 2nd of 8, 2l behind Celtic Boy (11-9) at Worcester 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (D) gf in Aug '05.
Ostfanni (IRE) 6-1 (11-8) Held up, pushed along and headway after 4th, weakened approaching 2 out, 4th of 12, 9l behind Siegfrieds Night (10-9) at Southwell 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gf in Jun.
Lyes Green 8-1 (10-0) Held up in rear, headway between last 2, led briefly before last, headed when blundered last, no impression, lost 2nd near finish, 3rd of 18, 8l behind Standin Obligation (11-12) at Cheltenham 3m hcp hdl 0-145 (1) gd in Apr.
Silver Charmer 20-1 (10-6) Always behind, no impression, 8th of 16, 18l behind Rushneeyriver (10-8) at N Abbot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gs in Aug.
Spring Breeze 25-1 (10-11) Mid-division, no impression after 3 out, kept on same pace, 10th of 25, 13l behind Roadmaker (10-4) at Punchestown 3m hcp hdl 0-130 gd in Apr.
Milligan (FR) 28-1 (11-0) Mid-division, hit 7th, soon weakened, 6th of 13, 27l behind Rapide Plaisir (11-0) at Ludlow 2m nov chs (3) gf in Apr.