15:15 Cheltenham

Wednesday 19 April 2017

All14:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:30

Arkells Brewery Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:16 | Winning time: 4m 54.3s

Its'afreebee³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Ian Popham| T: D Skelton| OR: 142

6/1

Has been racing over fences this season but has disappointed the last twice, most recently when pulled up here last month. Reverts to hurdles for the first time since finishing third behind the top class Yorkhill here 13 months ago and an interesting contender for a yard going well at present (13/49).

Form: 1113-15

Qualando^p⁴⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: T Scudamore| T: A E Jones| OR: 137

8/1

Useful horse for previous stable and made a satisfactory debut for this yard when finishing 8L second over 2m3f at Taunton (good) early last month. Won a valuable handicap off a 6lb lower mark here in March 2015 and an interesting runner today.

Form: 2020-34

Arctic Gold³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 135

10/1

Winner off a 2lb lower mark at Sandown in December. Disappointing in the main since including when well beaten here last month and a bit to prove dropping in trip today.

Form: PU2033-

Divine Spear³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 133

5/4

Placed in all three starts since winning off a 10lb lower mark at Fontwell in December. Most recent of those placings came over 2m5f at Kempton (good) last month and likely to run well once more.

Form: 121308-

Casper King³²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 129

9/2

Registered a double earlier this year when winning a maiden hurdle and a novice event at Exeter and Fontwell respectively. Both those came on soft ground and he finished well beaten on handicap debut on good upped to 2m5f last time out.

Form: 2-26211

Forecast^h,t²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Conor Shoemark| T: M Keighley| OR: 125

25/1

Winner over an extended 2m3f at Hereford (good) back in October. Wore a first time hood and tongue tie on that occasion and two most recent efforts have come on the Flat, including when last of ten at Kempton last month.

Form: -B142

Political Quiz¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: James Davies| T: T Symonds| OR: 120

9/1

Winner at Leicester and Carlisle already this season. Latest success at the last named venue came off a 7lb lower mark on good-to-soft ground in February and ran well when finishing runner-up at Huntingdon earlier this month. Interesting runner off a light weight here.

Form: 6F648-4

Non-Runners

River Frost³⁵

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: A King J: Wayne Hutchinson

Creep Desbois¹

Weight: 10-11| Age: 5

T: B Pauling J: David Bass

Drumcliff⁷⁴

Weight: 10-8| Age: 6

T: H Fry J: N D Fehily

Sir Toby²⁰⁷

Weight: 10-3| Age: 6

T: Dr R D P Newland J: Sam Twiston-Davies

Forecasts

Divine Spear (5/4), Casper King (9/2), Its'afreebee (6/1), Creep Desbois (6/1), River Frost (6/1), Drumcliff (13/2), Qualando (8/1), Political Quiz (9/1), Arctic Gold (10/1), Sir Toby (10/1), Forecast (25/1)

CREEP DESBOIS is one of the least exposed horses in this contest and can build on his first victory over hurdles last time out by claiming this competitive event on handicap debut. The selection appeared to see out the trip well on that occasion and the stiff finish here looks likely to suit. Divine Spear has been running well so far in handicap company and races off a mark just 1lb higher than when runner-up at Kempton last month and he is taken to chase the selection home while the top weight River Frost who was successful off a 10lb lower mark on good ground on his penultimate outing can complete the placings here.