15:30 Cheltenham

Thursday 16 March 2017

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

Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 15:31 | Winning time: 5m 49.60s

Agrapart²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Lizzie Kelly| T: Nick Williams| OR: 155

66/1

Smart hurdler when conditions are right (best in mud) and scored his first win outside of handicap company when taking the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle on New Year's Day. Never in the same form when well beaten by Zarkandar at Haydock last time out, jumping poorly. Deserves a crack at this race but likely to be found wanting overall.

Form: 1316-74

Ballyoptic^t1⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 162

14/1

Smart hurdler who won a Grade 1 novice at Aintree last April and then took a Grade 3 handicap hurdle on his reappearance this season at Chepstow. Has had a rather luckless time since, falling twice in four races but did finish his race off last time out in the Cleeve Hurdle. The bare form of that run leaves him something to find here with several of the principals.

Form: 111-1F2

Clondaw Warrior^h⁴⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Katie Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 159

33/1

Smart performer under both codes winning the Galway Hurdle in the summer over 2m. Continued his progress over hurdles when winning at Clonmel (3m) in December proving that the increased trip wasn't a problem. Has shown up well without winning in two starts since then both in Graded races over 3m but his last run behind Shaneshill and Snow Falcon, despite not being quite run to suit, does leave him having to find more improvement.

Form: 3/11236-

Cole Harden^p,t⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: G Sheehan| T: W Greatrex| OR: 156

9/1

Not won since taking this race two years ago when he made all and won fairly comfortably managing to dominate a big field. His form since (including over fences) has been a real mixed bag but he looked to be coming back to something like his best when second last time out in the Cleeve Hurdle to Unowhatimeanharry, with several of this field behind. Should once again run a game race but does have work to do to usurp the favourite.

Form: 4/2324P-

Jezki^h²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 167

15/2

Has been a regular visitor to the Festival and took the Champion Hurdle in 2014 and finished runner-up in the same race the following year before winning his two subsequent Grade 1 races at Aintree and Punchestown. Returned from a long absence in January when taking a minor event over 2m at Navan but then rather disappointed in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle subsequently, again over 2m on ground that was probably too testing. Steps back up in trip here having won his only start over further than 2m4f and is a fascinating contender in the same ownership of the race favourite.

Form: 341/1-12

Lil Rockerfeller^p⁷⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: T E Whelan| T: N B King| OR: 160

33/1

Really tough hurdler who never knows when to give in and displays a thoroughly likeable attitude. Found the test of the Champion Hurdle far too sharp last year and has been sportingly campaigned in Grade 1 and 2 company since then over longer distances. Some of his form would give him a chance in this but overall has something to find.

Form: 7-32242

Nichols Canyon⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 160

10/1

Two thirds are the best that Nichols Canyon has so far been able to muster at the Festival and he really does look far better going right-handed than left-handed with his record reading 5/5 at the former direction. Appeared to be in good form at the start of this season but he's looked slightly regressive of late and struggled when beaten at Leopardstown over Christmas, then fell at the same track last time out. Would need to re-discover his best form in order to be involved and there is also the question of stamina to answer.

Form: 3-312F1

Shaneshill⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 156

16/1

Has been runner-up three times at the Festival, the latest of them when taking second in the RSA Chase last year. Brought back to hurdles after that and had been running well before taking the Galmoy Hurdle (Grade 2) at Gowran Park in January and now heads to the Festival in an attempt to go one better after those three near misses.

Form: 233F1P

Snow Falcon⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Flanagan| T: N Meade| OR: 157

16/1

Steadily improving stayer and showed his real worth with a win at Navan (2m4f) in November in the Lismullen Hurdle (Grade 2). Looked to be going well and ready to mount a challenge when falling in the Newbury Long Distance Hurdle but has bounced back well with a couple of placings in top-class company since then. Deserves to take his chance here but on balance looks to have something to find with several of his rivals.

Form: 1F3253

Unowhatimeanharry^t⁴⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry| OR: 167

5/6

Has made constant progress since being with his current yard and is unbeaten winning eight races in a row. Turned in a top class performance last season to win the Albert Bartlett at the Festival and has continued on an upward curve since then winning three more races taking the Cleeve Hurdle on Festival Trials Day on his latest start and he sets an exacting standard here.

Form: 11-1113

West Approach⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: T Scudamore| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 157

28/1

Just one win to his name over hurdles and that came in a fairly low grade Newton Abbot novice back in May. Has shown some good placed form this season though in much better company with a lot of it coming here and he showed up really well In Grade 2 company last time out when third to Unowhatimeanharry and Cole Harden. That run was a marked improvement on his previous form and he'll be an interesting contender if he does head here rather than the Albert Bartlett where he also holds an engagement.

Form: 20-1235

Zarkandar^b,t²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 151

25/1

Has shown some high-class form in the past and has a Festival win to his name plus being placed in this event before. His win record has been rather questionable though with just a Grade 1 to his name in France in 2014 before he came back to form with a victory in a Haydock Grade 2 last time out (reported to have had a wind operation prior to that). This race was the obvious target after that but he's come up short in this race before and faces a tough task again.

Form: 234/3-U5

Non-Runners

Dedigout²⁵

Weight: 11-10| Age: 11

T: G Elliott J: B J Cooper

The New One⁵⁴

Weight: 11-10| Age: 9

T: N & W Twiston-Davies J: Non Runner

Un Temps Pour Tout⁴⁷

Weight: 11-10| Age: 8

T: D Pipe J: Non Runner

Yanworth²⁶

Weight: 11-10| Age: 7

T: A King J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Unowhatimeanharry (5/6), Jezki (15/2), Cole Harden (9/1), Nichols Canyon (10/1), Yanworth (10/1), Ballyoptic (14/1), The New One (14/1), Snow Falcon (16/1), Shaneshill (16/1), Zarkandar (25/1), West Approach (28/1), Lil Rockerfeller (33/1), Clondaw Warrior (33/1), Un Temps Pour Tout (33/1), Agrapart (66/1), Dedigout (66/1)

UNOWHATIMEANHARRY has continued his remarkable rise through the ranks this year after taking last year’s Albert Bartlett he has continued to roll along, taking his unbeaten run to eight with his current handler. He’s a worthy market leader here having been impressive in all his races this season and beaten plenty of these rivals on more than one occasion. There are dangers though and they are probably headed by 2014 Champion Hurdle winner Jezki who runs in the same colours as the favourite. He has not really been tried that much over this trip but he does bring a touch of class to the race and is a nice back-up runner for his owner JP McManus to have. Cole Harden gave his connections their finest hour when taking this race two years ago, making all in gritty fashion and although he’s not won a race since he has looked on the way back to his best of late. Willie Mullins hasn’t had much success in this race and he runs three here the pick of which is likely to be Shaneshill a runner-up in his last two Festival races. Ballyoptic would have a place chance based on his form this year while the wild card in the race is the novice West Approach who takes on the big boys rather than contesting one of the novice races at the Festival.