15:35 Cheltenham

Friday 13 December 2024

All12:1012:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Citipost Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 5m 59.99s

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Selected odds by:

Gowel Road²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 145| C

12/1

Held his form well last season and ran another solid race when 5 lengths second of 12 to Doyen Quest in handicap hurdle at this course (24f, good) 27 days ago. Can give another good account.

Form: 7346-22

Might I^p,t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Bryan Carver| T: H Fry| OR: 139

14/1

Capitalised on a falling mark in 11-runner handicap hurdle at Bangor (19.6f, soft, 7/2) 30 days ago, helped by the runner-up jinking at the last. 4 lb rise fair and ought to be on the premises again.

Form: 1306-61

Doyen Quest²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 135| CD

11/10

Most progressive sort who built on his fine reappearance second in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow when running out a 5-length winner at this course (3m) last month, quickening to lead entering final 1f and soon clear. Hiked up 10 lb but is totally unexposed as a stayer.

Form: 1211-21

Bhaloo⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 135

12/1

Dual novice hurdle winner last season and made a winning start over fences in 4-runner handicap chase at Ascot (18.8f, good) on his return just under 6 weeks ago. Tackles 3m for the first time back over hurdles and is an interesting runner.

Form: 3141-21

An Tailliur^t1⁵²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 132| D

40/1

Prolific winner in handicap hurdles in 2021/22 and ran well in some hot handicaps the following season. However, nowhere near that level in 3 runs this season and is probably best watched returning to hurdling in a first-time tongue strap.

Form: 368/256

Zain Nights^p²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: H Cobden| T: L Wadham| OR: 130| CD

11/1

Useful stayer on the Flat for Harry & Roger Charlton and much improved over hurdles last spring, completing a handicap hat-trick in a big-field handicap at Haydock in May. Returned with a good third here in October and seemed unsuited by conditions back at Haydock on most recent outing.

Form: 411-13P

Long Draw²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 120

3/1

£60,000 Irish point recruit very much on the up since switched to handicaps, winning at Ffos Las (20f) in May and surpassed that form when runner-up all 4 starts since, bumping into yet another lightly-raced rival here (21f) last time. Seems sure to go well again.

Form: 4-12222

High Game Royal³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Jones| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 119| BF

25/1

Fairly useful handicap hurdler. Good efforts when runner-up both starts this season, including when collared in dying strides in 4-runner affair at Lingfield (23f) latterly. This is tougher, however.

Form: 3335-22

Wonderful Eagle^p²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 118

10/1

Fairly useful Flat winner in Germany. Built up a good strike rate in both codes for new yard, twice a winner on the level in the summer before adding to his tally in this sphere (value for extra) at Newton Abbot (21.5f) in September. Posted a creditable third here last month and has to be respected.

Form: 1348-13

Non-Runners

Thanksforthehelp²⁷

Weight: 10-2| Age: 7

T: D Pipe J: 2nd Preference

Forecasts

Doyen Quest (11/10), Long Draw (3/1), Thanksforthehelp (8/1), Wonderful Eagle (10/1), Zain Nights (11/1), Gowel Road (12/1), Bhaloo (12/1), Might I (14/1), High Game Royal (25/1), An Tailliur (40/1)

The manner in which DOYEN QUEST overcame a significant early blunder here the previous month suggests a 10 lb higher mark may not be enough to prevent him from going in again, not least as he's totally unexposed as a stayer. Long Draw and Might I head up the opposition in a race that is likely to make for strong form.