16:25 Cheltenham

Wednesday 19 April 2017

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

Safran Landing Systems 'Confined' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:26 | Winning time: 5m 48.10s

The Wallace Line¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Alan Johns⁽³⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 122

9/1

Finished runner-up over 3m2f at Warwick (heavy) in February. Well beaten at Uttoxeter subsequently and have to go back to October 2014 to find his sole victory.

Form: 41230/4-

Max Forte⁶⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: James Davies| T: C J Down| OR: 122

4/1

Surprise winner on his rules debut at Wincanton over an extended 2m5f (good) in October 2015. Best effort this season came when 16L fourth at Ascot in February but appears to have a bit to find with the principals here.

Form: 44/9P42-

Pillard^h,t¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 120

13/2

Winner over hurdles in France and made the frame on four of his last five starts on the Flat and over jumps. Beaten 6L over 2m at Huntingdon last time out and tackles this trip for the first time today.

Form: 132204-

Moidore²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: A Pogson| T: C T Pogson| OR: 120

16/1

Finished third over 2m7f at Market Rasen on good ground last monht but well held on all four previous starts in 2017. Won off this mark on heavy ground at Bangor last April but others make more appeal in this.

Form: P69637-

Decimus^b¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-8| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 118

10/1

Yard's horses are running well at present (2/6 of late) and finished runner-up over 3m on good ground at Taunton last time out. Races off a 4lb higher mark here and won off this mark under today's jockey over an extended 3m2f at Newton Abbot in July 2015.

Form: 536528-

Iora Glas^t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 117

8/1

Finished runner-up over fences at Chepstow in October but beaten twice in that sphere subsequently. Well held over an extended 2m4f at Plumpton (good-to-firm) last month and a bit to prove off a mark 4lb higher than for his latest success.

Form: 323481-

First Fandango^p,t²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: R Johnson| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 107

5/1

Beaten 6L when finishing runner-up over 3m at Newbury (good-to-soft) a month ago. Handicap mark had fallen rapidly due to poor runs in recent years and interesting off a 2lb higher mark here having won off a mark as high as 135 in the past.

Form: 977P26-

Baron Du Plessis²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: Ian Williams| OR: 105

4/1

Maiden after 10 outings and well beaten on his only previous visit to this track in November. Best hurdles effort came on his penultimate outing when finishing runner-up at Ludlow over 2m5f (soft) last month. Well beaten at Newbury since when tackling 3m for the first time under rules.

Form: 04-5082

The Artful Cobbler^p³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Jake Greenall| T: H D Daly| OR: 105

11/1

Sole win came on heavy ground at Leicester over an extended 2m4f in February 2016. Well beaten in six outings at around this trip prior to finishing third at Towcester over 3m last time out and pulled up on his only previous start on good ground.

Form: 841PP-8

Non-Runners

Minstrel Royal⁸²

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: N J Henderson J: J McGrath

McKenzie's Friend⁶⁰

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: O Sherwood J: L P Aspell

Buckontupence³⁴

Weight: 10-7| Age: 9

T: H J Evans J: Benjamin Poste

Forecasts

Max Forte (4/1), Baron Du Plessis (4/1), First Fandango (5/1), Pillard (13/2), Iora Glas (8/1), McKenzie's Friend (8/1), The Wallace Line (9/1), Decimus (10/1), Minstrel Royal (10/1), The Artful Cobbler (11/1), Moidore (16/1), Buckontupence (25/1)

PILLARD steps up in trip here following a good effort over 2m when third at Huntingdon last time out. Already a winner over hurdles in France Jonjo O'Neill's charge should appreciate ground conditions and is worth siding with here and can provide another winner for a yard with a 26% strike-rate of late. The maiden Baron Du Plessis has run some solid races so far and is another who hails from a yard in form (5/26 of late) and can get the better of Decimus who is well handicapped on his old form in the race for second.