15:45 Cheltenham

Monday 1 January 2018

All12:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:45

EBF Stallions & Cheltenham Pony Club (Listed Standard Open NH Flat Race)

Off time: 15:49 | Winning time: 3m 36.4s

Acey Milan^t²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Aidan Coleman| T: A J Honeyball

3/1

Good second on debut behind Volcano at Exeter and went one better at Wincanton on second start. Handled soft ground well that day and interesting to see if he can reverse the form with the aforementioned rival with an extra run under his belt.

Form: 21

Arch My Boy

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: Martin Smith

50/1

Archipenko gelding who seemingly has more of a Flat pedigree than NH. Yard have had a bumper winner this year but probably best watched unless market says otherwise.

Form:

Copperhead²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard

50/1

Sulamani gelding, cost £42,000 at the sales in May. Plenty to like about his pedigree but debut suggested he may need more time to be seen to best effect.

Form: 7

Feel The Pinch

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Alain Cawley| T: F O'Brien

10/1

Librettist gelding, dam was a bumper winner and sister to the smart Amaretto Rose. Yard in good form and they have a near 25% strike-rate in this sphere so certainly one that warrants respect on debut.

Form:

Gold Fields

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: Laura Morgan

25/1

Sakhee gelding out of Realms Of Gold. Cost £18,000, and is a half-brother to six winners including bumper scorers Battle Born, Board Of Trade and Gold Reef. Interesting enough on paper but yard yet to have a bumper winner in 10 attempts.

Form:

Kingofthecotswolds²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| BF

14/1

Fourth of 10 behind a couple of these at Wincanton on debut. Went off favourite for that so likely better was expected and no surprise to see him get closer to those rivals here. May want a little further given time though.

Form: 4

Malinas Jack³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: D A Jacob| T: J Mackie

25/1

Malinas gelding who is a half-brother to two time winner Inflexiball. Yard have a low strike-rate in bumpers but showed plenty of promise when a close third at Doncaster on debut. Each-way claims if building on that.

Form: 3

Normal Norman⁷²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: P J Brennan| T: J Ryan

20/1

Shamardal gelding who is a half-brother to 1m2f AW winner Victoriously. Excellent second of 13 on debut, despite running green in stages and confirmed that promise with a win at Market Rasen last time out. This tougher but has each-way claims.

Form: 21

Romeo Brown

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Lizzie Kelly| T: Nick Williams

14/1

Yeats gelding, cost £16,000 at the sales in May. Yard have an excellent record in this sphere and trainer has hit form in recent weeks. No surprise to see him thereabouts, particularly if there's market support.

Form:

Skyline³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: T J O'Brien| T: H Morrison| BF

16/1

Stimulation gelding, out of a mare who won a bumper and also won on the Flat. Too keen to do himself justice on debut but still managed a close second. Should come on for that run but will need to.

Form: 2

Volcano⁶⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: B J Geraghty| T: Christian Williams

5/2

Form: 1

Ena Baie¹⁷⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry

7/2

Landed a Group 3 on second start in France and since bought by this yard. Trainer certainly capable of getting them to win first time out for the yard, particularly in this sphere and market likely to be the best guide to her chance.

Form: 21

Friday Feeling⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: Miss Brodie Hampson| T: J G M O'Shea

100/1

Half-brother to four winners including one in a bumper and others over jumps from 2m-3m. Well bred but shaped like she needed more time on debut and will probably do better over further.

Form: 0

Forecasts

Volcano (5/2), Acey Milan (3/1), Ena Baie (7/2), Feel The Pinch (10/1), Romeo Brown (14/1), Kingofthecotswolds (14/1), Skyline (16/1), Normal Norman (20/1), Malinas Jack (25/1), Gold Fields (25/1), Copperhead (50/1), Arch My Boy (50/1), Friday Feeling (100/1)

ACEY MILAN is taken to reverse the form with Volcano here after an impressive win last time out. It would be no surprise to see Romeo Brown right there on debut for a yard that do well in this sphere while Milinas Jack was only just touched off on debut and could come on for that run.