Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:07 | Winning time: 6m 16.5s

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Selected odds by:

Royal Pretender⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 12-2| J: Oscar Palmer⁽¹⁰⁾| T: A King| OR: 122

17/2

Relatively unexposed over staying trips and returned with good second at Exeter only to be pulled up at Wincanton last time. Needs to get back on track.

Form: 3U24-2P

Blue Bikini⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: C Brace| T: F O'Brien| OR: 119| C

11/2

6/1, career best when winning 5-runner handicap hurdle at Catterick (25.3f, good to soft) 49 days ago. Up 4 lb but this course winner had something to spare there so can go well again.

Form: 151-1P1

Sporty Jim³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Fergus Gregory| T: O Murphy| OR: 113

12/1

Scored at Perth in April, 2022. Only twice raced since and pulled up in handicap hurdle at Haydock (24.3f, heavy) 38 days ago. Others appeal more.

Form: 3731/5P

Hashtag Boum³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Henry Brooke| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 113| D

11/5

Irish point winner who opened her Rules account at Kelso last April. Comes here on the back of a good second in 22f handicap there 39 days ago so he's very much one to consider eased 1 lb.

Form: 321-622

South Terrace⁴⁶²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Dr R Newland & J Insole| OR: 112| D

9/1

Landed a 23.3f Uttoxeter handicap hurdle in July 2021 but lightly raced since, remote second of five at Warwick on his chasing bow in November. Needs to back it up returned to this sphere.

Form: 2173/P2-

Breaking Waves^v1⁵²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: D A Jacob| T: A M Hales| OR: 110

25/1

Untrustworthy individual for Harry Whittington and hasn't made any sort of impact in a pair of starts since joining current yard. First-time visor replaces blinkers.

Form: 1233-79

Top Cloud^t⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Toby Wynne⁽³⁾| T: R L Llewellyn| OR: 101

15/8

Much improved for new yard after wind surgery, making it 4 wins in 5 starts at Ascot (3m) last month. Raised another 6 lb but form been franked so there could easily be more to come. Player.

Form: P-11311

Forecasts

Top Cloud (15/8), Hashtag Boum (11/5), Blue Bikini (11/2), Royal Pretender (17/2), South Terrace (9/1), Sporty Jim (12/1), Breaking Waves (25/1)

TOP CLOUD has thrived under the tutelage of Robbie Llewellyn so is fancied to bag a fifth success of the season with the form of his recent Ascot victory having been franked. Hashtag Boum is weighted to have a say and next on the list- with course scorer Blue Bikini also in the picture.