18:45 Cheltenham

Friday 5 May 2017

All17:1017:4018:1018:4519:2019:5020:25

Timico Mixed Open Gold Cup Final Hunters' Chase

Off time: 18:48 | Winning time: 7m 5.60s

Barel Of Laughs^p²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 12-4| J: Alex Edwards| T: P Rowley| OR: 138

8/13

Belied odds of 100-1 when third to Pacha Du Polder in the Foxhunters' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. That was a career-best display, but he showed he remains in fine fettle when winning a point-to-point last month and that eyecatching Festival run marks him down as the one to beat.

Form: F/22131-

Beggar's Velvet^p¹⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 12-4| J: Mrs A Cox| T: Mrs Amy Cox| OR: 100

33/1

Stayed on well to be third in a hunter chase at Ludlow last time, but that form is nothing to write home about and this six-times point-to-point winner needs to up his game.

Form: 136213-

Iron Chancellor¹¹

Age: 12| Weight: 12-4| J: Mr L Drowne| T: Mrs Sue Popham| OR: 107

33/1

Had some fair form under Rules when trained by Alan King, but a point-to-point performer these days whose run in hunter chase company at Warwick last time saw him finish a well-beaten second to Bear's Affair.

Form: PP6122-

Real Milan^p⁴³

Age: 12| Weight: 12-4| J: Mr J H Jones| T: Nick J Jones| OR: 110

8/1

A winning hurdler and chaser for Donald McCain, he still retains a fair chunk of ability and has won five point-to-points since March last year. The only other finisher when second to Pearlysteps in a Ludlow hunter chase in March, he needs to find improvement.

Form: 11U122-

Vincitore^t²⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 12-4| J: Miss S Rippon| T: Miss S Rippon| OR: 98

40/1

Has won four chases under Rules and two point-to-points, but is a shadow of his former self and was put in his place when 38L behind Dineur in the Foxhunters' Chase at Aintree last time. Several of these boast better recent form.

Form: 5P1540-

Arkose^p²⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 12-1| J: Mr W Thirlby| T: Tim Thirlby| OR: 108

50/1

Remote fourth in a hunter chase at Doncaster in February and in the frame in point-to-points in two subsequent starts. Getting on and unlikely to be troubling the best of these.

Form: 412432-

Curraigflemens²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 12-1| J: Mr S Roche| T: D Kemp| OR: 98

20/1

Won a hunter chase at Fontwell last year and has been performing with credit since then in point-to-points. His level of form leaves him with plenty to prove, however.

Form: 52321-6

Talkonthestreet¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 12-1| J: Billy Garritty| T: C Mcsharry| OR: 120

18/1

A winning hurdler and chaser for Philip Hobbs, he has won two of his four point-to-points and benefited from the fall of the odds-on favourite when successful at Charm Park last month. Has scope for improvement in this sphere and not ruled out.

Form: 1243/P1-

The Wealerdealer²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 12-1| J: Mr M Legg| T: I Chanin| OR: 109

11/1

Has won seven point-to-points, and has also enjoyed success in hurdles and a hunter chase, so is clearly versatile. Won well at Upcott Cross last month, has a promising pilot on board and is one of the more likely contenders.

Form: 113U21-

Murrayana^p1,t⁶⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr S Davies-Thomas| T: N A Pearce| OR: 119

10/1

Won four hurdles races when trained by Colin Tizzard and landed a ;point-to-point for his new trainer at Charing in February. Favourite when pulled up after stumbling badly in a Wincanton hunter chase in March, he needs to bounce back here, but that is not impossible.

Form: 3314/1P-

Ni Sin E Mo Ainm²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Pte Alexandra Bell| T: Miss A Bell| OR: 107

16/1

Ran respectably when third of six in a hunter chase at Newton Abbot last month and is usually there or thereabouts. He might be flying a little high this time, however.

Form: 12/1U13-

The Rodeo Clown^b1¹²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr S Burton| T: G E Burton| OR: 84

100/1

Winning point-to-pointer who was sent off at 50-1 and was tailed off on his hunter chase debut at Stratford. Impossible to fancy on that evidence.

Form: 4P/126-P

Non-Runners

Numbercruncher²⁶

Weight: 12-1| Age: 11

T: David O'Brien J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Barel Of Laughs (8/13), Real Milan (8/1), Murrayana (10/1), The Wealerdealer (11/1), Ni Sin E Mo Ainm (16/1), Numbercruncher (16/1), Talkonthestreet (18/1), Curraigflemens (20/1), Iron Chancellor (33/1), Beggar's Velvet (33/1), Vincitore (40/1), Arkose (50/1), The Rodeo Clown (100/1)

This revolves around BAREL OF LAUGHS who boasts the one outstanding piece of form in his Cheltenham Festival third in March. He went off at 100-1 that day, but he has won since so it was probably not a fluke and anything like a repeat of that effort would see him prevail. Talkonthestreet and Murrayana should go well, but perhaps the main danger may come from The Wealerdealer.