16:50 Cheltenham

Wednesday 13 March 2019

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Registered As The Fred Winter) (Grade 3)

Off time: 16:51 | Winning time: 3m 57.26s

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Selected odds by:

Torpillo^h²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: D A Jacob| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 141| D

14/1

French recruit for this yard who made an impressive start to his career in the UK with two wins at Sandown either side of new year. Better than what he showed last time when keen (also made jumping errors) and not one to put a line through.

Form: 1-114

Fine Brunello⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: B J Geraghty| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 139

14/1

Ran well behind stablemate here in the Triumph trial, staying on well from a long way back. Tough to gauge whether he's well-handicapped from this mark but the nature of this race should suit his running style and one to note in the market.

Form: 71442

Band of Outlaws³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 139| D

7/2

Useful on the Flat and has looked progressive over hurdles to date, winning with plenty in hand at Naas last time. The form from that six-runner affair unlikely to be the strongest around but clearly going the right way.

Form: 311

Cracker Factory^p1¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: A King| OR: 139| D

50/1

Made it four wins from five starts over hurdles at Wetherby (Listed) and not disgraced here in his follow up bid but his two subsequent runs have to be a concern, last at Doncaster before finishing a well beaten favourite at Lingfield on the Flat.

Form: 112125

Chief Justice^t³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: K M Donoghue| T: G Elliott| OR: 139| DWS

25/1

Made a hugely promising start for this yard wining three of his first four before finding only one too good in a Leopardstown Grade 2. Seemingly put in his place in a stronger race last time and has work to do from this mark. Wind op since last run.

Form: 112125

Naturelle⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: A Poirier| T: A Couetil| OR: 138

20/1

French raider who has won two of her last three starts, most notably a Listed race at Pau last time. Hard to imagine she's well handicapped from this handicap mark but any rain would enhance her chance.

Form: 4121

Got Trumped³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 138

20/1

Kept on gamely when winning a 20 runner Punchestown 3yo hurdle in November but the runner-up reversed the form next time out and she's struggled upped in class since. Has plenty to prove.

Form: 21346

Fanfan Du Seuil⁸⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: P J Brennan| T: T R George| OR: 136

12/1

Seemed unlucky to fall at Chepstow on yard debut and gained compensation at Exeter next time. Ran well here when second last time out in a Triumph trial but the form has been let down since.

Form: 1-F12

Our Power⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 135| D

25/1

Useful on the Flat and looked good when winning for the second time over hurdles at Newbury. Ran okay here on trials day but Fine Brunello finished a fair way in front of him and he's only 4lb better off at the weights here; others preferred.

Form: 1214

Fox Pro¹⁰³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Lizzie Kelly⁽³⁾| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 134

50/1

Has been campaigned in France to date, perhaps a suggestion he wants testing conditions but couldn't back up a handicap win at Compiegne when tailed off at Auteuil subsequently. Any market support is worth noting.

Form: 316

Coko Beach³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 134

14/1

Won well on his sole start in France and improved from yard debut when third behind Band Of Outlaws at Naas. Needs plenty more to reverse that form alone.

Form: 193

Prabeni^t²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: J McGrath| T: C J Mann| OR: 134| D

40/1

Produced an eye-catching third on debut for this yard and has made no mistake in two subsequent runs with the front two pulling a long way clear at Doncaster last time. Unproved on this ground but his game attitude will hold him in good stead.

Form: 311

Zizaneur¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽⁵⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 133

50/1

A winner in France and has run well in both starts for this yard, though no match for the winner at Newbury last time. A big field may help him settle better though and rates as the type to improve.

Form: 12F622

Dogon^t1²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 133

14/1

A winner in France and while he was pulled up here on trials day/yard debut, he produced a much better run when third at Wincanton last time. Form of that has been let down since but yard are flying and may improve. Wears first-time tongue-tie.

Form: 3231P2

Ciel De Neige¹⁹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132

17/2

Ran only okay in three starts in France but he's an interesting recruit for this yard. Handicapper wouldn't appear to have taken any chances with his opening handicap mark.

Form: 44-5

Lethal Steps^p1³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 131

9/1

Won his first two runs for Ger Lyons and achieved a decent level of form on the Flat. His placed efforts in maiden hurdles need improving on but his racecourse experience is a bonus in a race such as this and could go well in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 523

Star Max²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 131| D

8/1

Achieved a fair level of form on the Flat in Germany and he's improved with each start over hurdles, winning well at Gowran last time out (well on top at the finish). Handicapper has given him a stiff test here though.

Form: 731

Oi The Clubb Oi's⁸⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 130

33/1

Has run with credit on each of his three starts over hurdles including when a close third in Grade 2 class last time out. 4lb rise fair but unlikely to want any more rain given his sire.

Form: 223

La Sorelita^t1³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 130

16/1

A winner in France and put up a fair effort in defeat on yard debut in Grade 2 class at Leopardstown on yard debut. Hasn't built on that since though and Walsh prefers Ciel De Neige. Wears first-time tongue-tie.

Form: 13434

Praeceps^b¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 129| D

16/1

Won his latest Flat start when officially rated 75 and has made an encouraging start for this yard, though found out to some extent when upped in class last time. May struggle on that evidence from this mark.

Form: 213

King D'Argent^t⁹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 129| DWS

25/1

Looked limited on the Flat but won on debut for this yard at Wetherby. Hasn't really built on that subsequently though and needs wind operation to bring about mark marked improvement.

Form: 132

Non-Runners

Beat The Judge¹⁸

Weight: 11-4| Age: 4

T: G & J Moore J: Joshua Moore

Forecasts

Band of Outlaws (7/2), Star Max (8/1), Ciel De Neige (17/2), Lethal Steps (9/1), Fanfan Du Seuil (12/1), Coko Beach (14/1), Torpillo (14/1), Fine Brunello (14/1), Dogon (14/1), Praeceps (16/1), La Sorelita (16/1), Beat The Judge (16/1), Naturelle (20/1), Got Trumped (20/1), King D'Argent (25/1), Our Power (25/1), Chief Justice (25/1), Oi The Clubb Oi's (33/1), Prabeni (40/1), Cracker Factory (50/1), Zizaneur (50/1), Fox Pro (50/1)

Not an easy race to find the winner of with six of the last seven renewals won by 25/1 shots or bigger. However, LETHAL STEPS looks to have a solid chance and if first-time headgear ekes out improvement; he ought to run well for a yard that have won two recent renewals of this race. Belargus could be an each-way contender at likely bigger odds if he gets into the race (second reserve) while Fine Brunello ran on well enough on trials day to suggest he could be suited by the nature of this race.