16:35 Cheltenham

Saturday 28 January 2017

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:1514:5015:2516:0016:35

Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:39 | Winning time: 4m 14.30s

Court Minstrel⁴⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Moloney| T: Evan Williams| OR: 147

33/1

Capable of some smart form over hurdles but has been highly tried in Listed and Grade 2 races of late. Back to handicap company last time out but ran poorly off the same mark he won off when taking the Silver Trophy at Chepstow.

Form: 245090-

Robinshill⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 141

11/1

Has been progressing in novice and handicap company, turning in his best performance last time out at Sandown. Finished second off a career high mark after getting an easy lead but that should take nothing away from a very solid performance.

Form: 120117

Solstice Star^t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Conor Shoemark| T: M Keighley| OR: 140

20/1

Reeled off a five-timer over hurdles last year and won a couple at Cheltenham usually making the running or being prominent for much of the way. Handicapper eventually caught up with him and he's been switched to fences this season, but yet to be placed in that sphere and return to hurdles here.

Form: 1122-55

Wait For Me³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 138

7/2

Winner of a bumper and two hurdles (maiden and novice) but yet to win in handicap company. Best effort in handicaps came on handicap debut at the Festival (County Hurdle) in a first-time hood when not having the best of runs. Ran well at Kempton on reappearance (no hood) and didn't settle as well and remains of interest in good 2m handicaps.

Form: 4-86509

Bigmartre⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: D N Russell| T: H Whittington| OR: 136

8/1

Came back from a break to land a Kempton handicap hurdle in December (Wait For Me behind) by a length from an unlucky second. Up 3lb for that win and might not get the run of the race here.

Form: 1433-18

Maestro Royal⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 132

8/1

Turned in a career best effort when winning at Sandown last time with Robinshill in second to win his first handicap. Shouldn't be much between the pair here but this looks tougher than the Sandown contest.

Form: 272171

William H Bonney³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 132

5/1

Winner twice in novice company and highly tried in the Supreme at the Festival. Only start since saw him make his handicap debut (keen and not settled) and looks as though he retains all his ability.

Form: 10/8107-

John Constable²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 131

10/1

Best effort of late came in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock in May but the three starts since have been well below that level. Steps back 4f in trip here from his last start at Newbury but needs to show more.

Form: 47600F-

Dream Berry^t²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: B J Geraghty| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 129

25/1

Winner in France and at Market Rasen in 2015/16 over hurdles but pulled-up on chasing debut at Uttoxeter after a break in November. Hard to know what to expect here on handicap debut over hurdles off a mark of 129.

Form: 1-P6132

Max Do Brazil⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 128

9/2

Ex-French gelding who has his first run in GB after finishing placed in handicaps on his last two starts. Cost current connections £160,000 when bought in December and interesting to see what this gelding can do here off what looks to be a reasonable mark.

Form: 4832PP-

Divine Spear²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Ned Curtis⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 127

16/1

Winner in bumpers and in a maiden hurdle and returned from a break when winning a weak Fontwell Park handicap last time out just holding on to win by a neck. This looks tougher but with good connections and capable of improving further.

Form: 121308-

Disputed^h⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-5| J: M Goldstein| T: C Gordon| OR: 126

25/1

Fairly useful over hurdles and running consistently of late and settled better than of late at Fontwell last time out and the hood is retained here. Meets a few in better form here though and more needed than he's shown of late.

Form: 1-72433

Man Of Plenty^p,t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 115

50/1

6lb out of the weights here and although he's been placed on his last two starts he would need to show more to win this.

Form: 13/9622

Rockchasebullett^t⁴⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Nick Slatter⁽⁵⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 113

66/1

Some good chasing form when last seen in 2014 although did unseat on his last run over fences. Comes back off a lower hurdles mark here but is from out the handicap and no easy task on his return to the course.

Form: 11U/05P-

Non-Runners

Le Rocher¹⁹

Weight: 11-3| Age: 7

T: Nick Williams J: Lizzie Kelly

Byron Flyer³⁰

Weight: 10-12| Age: 6

T: Ian Williams J: W T Kennedy

Drumcliff³⁹

Weight: 10-6| Age: 6

T: H Fry J: B J Geraghty

Forecasts

Wait For Me (7/2), Max Do Brazil (9/2), William H Bonney (5/1), Drumcliff (5/1), Le Rocher (13/2), Maestro Royal (8/1), Bigmartre (8/1), John Constable (10/1), Robinshill (11/1), Divine Spear (16/1), Solstice Star (20/1), Byron Flyer (20/1), Disputed (25/1), Dream Berry (25/1), Court Minstrel (33/1), Man Of Plenty (50/1), Rockchasebullett (66/1)

Drumcliff will be a popular choice in the getting out stakes after his rather unlucky defeat at Kempton last time when he was hampered at the second last and beaten by another of today’s rivals in Bigmartre. A 3lb rise probably underestimates his chance and he looks sure to reverse that form with a clear run this time around. Another two to come out of that race are William H Bonney and WAIT FOR ME, and it’s probably the latter who is of the most interest. He’s twice run well at the Festival and a return to this track could be what he needs. He still looks well handicapped off a mark of 138. David Pipe runs a fascinating contender in Max Do Brazil who has yet to run in this country but his French form stacks up well here and the market may well tell a story over this one who has an eye-catching Betfair Hurdle entry. He cost connections £160,000 and they’ll be looking to get some of their purchase price back here. 1. Wait For Me 2. Max Do Brazil 3. Drumcliff