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Racecards

14:15 Cheltenham

BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase (Grade 2) (Class 1)

  • 7 Runners
  • Distance: 3m 1f 56y
  • Going: Soft (Good to Soft in places)
  • Surface: Turf
  • £100,000 added
  • Winner: £56,950
  • 2nd: £21,370
  • 3rd: £10,700
  • 4th: £5,330
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 6m 41.10s
  • Off Time: 14:16:44
  • 7 Ran
1
Silk - EMERALD GREEN and YELLOW (quartered), WHITE sleeves and cap
8/1
  • Form 62210-1
  • Age 10
  • Weight 11-10
  • Official Rating 166

prominent, led 7th, headed before 9th, led 4 out, driven before last, headed narrowly flat, battled back bravely to lead again close home

2
Silk - Pink, large Purple spots, hooped sleeves
20/1
  • Form P1P-243
  • Age 11
  • Weight 11-10
  • Official Rating 161

prominent, lost place 14th, well behind 4 out

3
Silk - GREY and MAROON diamonds, GREY sleeves
7/1
  • Form 1416-47
  • Age 10
  • Weight 11-10
  • Official Rating 163

led until 7th, led before 9th, headed 4 out, every chance next, one pace in 3rd 2 out, no extra last

4
Silk - Orange, Black triple diamond, chevrons on sleeves

Thistlecrack

33 CD
4/9
  • Form 11-1111
  • Age 9
  • Weight 11-10
  • Official Rating 171

tracked leaders, pecked 9th, not fluent 4 out, awkward landing 3 out, challenged next, led narrowly flat, headed close home

5
Silk - Red, White and Red check sleeves
66/1
  • Form 477423
  • Age 8
  • Weight 11-10
  • Official Rating 155

held up in rear, not fluent 13th, headway when hit 16th, lost place 3 out, weakened before next, pulled up before last

6
Silk - Dark blue, royal blue diamond, purple and white striped sleeves, purple cap, white star
  • Form 1111-25
  • Age 8
  • Weight 11-6
  • Official Rating 156

took keen hold, held up, headway 5th, tracking leaders 16th, pushed along before 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out

7
Silk - Light Green and White (quartered), White sleeves, Light Green cap
50/1
  • Form 5101-02
  • Age 10
  • Weight 11-4
  • Official Rating 150

held up on outside, slow and last 4th, behind 11th, tailed off 16th, pulled up after

Previous results

In depth

Verdict

THISTLECRACK has the potential to be one of the all-time greats. Last year’s leading staying hurdler has taken to fences like a duck to water and jumped superbly, considering his novice status, when powering clear of top-class stablemate Cue Card in the King George last month with Silviniaco Conti a never-nearer third. The latter has never shone around here while course specialist Perfect Candidate has a mountain to climb at the weights. The last two winners of this - Many Clouds and Smad Place - return for another tilt with the former probably the pick having made a successful return to action at Aintree last month. Vezelay’s French form is solid but he’s likely to find t least a couple of these too good and Kylemore Lough has a lot to prove over this trip.

Formwatch

Many Clouds (IRE) 3-1 (11-10) Made all, 2 1/2 lengths ahead last, clear flat, stayed on well, won at Aintree 3m 1f lst (1) gs in Dec beating Le Mercurey (11-5) by 3 1/2l, 5 ran.

Silviniaco Conti (FR) 20-1 (11-10) Led 2nd until 9th, chased winner until not fluent 10th, chased leading trio until outpaced 14th, rallied after 2 out, took modest 3rd last strides, almost snatched 2nd, 3rd of 5, 3 1/4l behind Thistlecrack (11-10) at Kempton 3m (1) gd in Dec.

Smad Place (FR) 11-1 (11-12) Led until 2nd, chased leaders, not fluent 11th (water), pushed along before 4 out, ridden before 3 out, soon one pace, plugged on, 7th of 19, 9 3/4l behind Native River (11-1) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Nov.

Thistlecrack 11-10fav (11-10) Jumped well, led until 2nd, tracked leader, led again 9th, clear before 3 out, stayed on strongly, eased towards finish, impressive, won at Kempton 3m (1) gd in Dec beating Cue Card (11-10) by 3 1/4l, 5 ran.

Vezelay (FR) 50-1 (11-7) In rear, headway before 10th, went 3rd before 4 out, weakened before next, 3rd of 6, 28l behind Cue Card (11-7) at Haydock 3m (1) hvy in Nov.

Kylemore Lough 9-1 (11-10) Soon prominent, chased leader before 2nd, mistake 3 out, led before next, edged left before hitting last, soon headed, no extra and lost 3 places towards finish, 5th of 16, 2 1/2l behind Frodon (10-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Dec.

Perfect Candidate (IRE) 18-1 (11-2) Led, headed before 2 out, led again flat, headed post, 2nd of 12, shd behind Theatre Guide (11-4) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp (1) gd in Dec.