14:45 Chepstow

Friday 2 February 2018

All13:1013:4014:1514:4515:2015:5516:25

188Bet Cheltenham Festival Preview 2nd March Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 5m 21.70s

One Style⁶⁶⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Charlie Deutsch⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 110

10/1

18-race maiden who has been off the track since April 2016. Has shown some promise over hurdles on soft ground prior to his enforced absence and now returns to chasing (did so in France) after 5lb drop. Perhaps best watched.

Form: 3P3422/

Bredon Hill Lad^p,t³⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Lucy Gardner⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 110

8/1

Testing ground at up to 2m4f suits this gelding, who arrives chasing a hat-trick after wins at Ffos Las (2m, soft) and Fontwell (2m2f, soft). 6lb rise suggests that he will need a career-best to win again, but entitled to be short-listed.

Form: 5F14-11

Whispering Harry²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: James Davies| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 110| C

10/1

Has done most of his winning on soft/heavy ground at around 2m, but proved that he gets this trip when a neck second at Plumpton last time. Raised another 3lb for that, but now back in form he can't be confidently ruled out.

Form: 6P-7U62

Market Road^t⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 104| D

7/2

Won a chase over 2m5f at Ffos Las (good to soft) in the spring, but last four runs have been over hurdles. Has won two of those, last time at Exeter (2m5½f, soft). 2lb rise puts him 15lb higher than last chase mark so needs to eek out a bit more.

Form: 311F31

Modeligo^p,t¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: M Sheppard| OR: 104| C| D

14/1

Enjoyed a good start to last year with back-to-back wins at 2m (soft) here and then 2m3½f (good) at Stratford. Off the boil since, but now 2lb below that last winning mark, he may be capable of better than recent efforts.

Form: 1-3PF06

Caprice D'anglais^h,t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 103

5/1

Won twice over fences as well as a selling hurdle last season for Richard Hobson. Didn't appear to stay this far earlier in his career, but ran well over 2m4f on stable debut at Leicester last month and should be competitive from 2lb higher.

Form: 513-683

Arquebusier^p,t³³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: James Banks| T: Mrs E Bishop| OR: 94| D

4/1

Scored at Warwick (2m4f, soft) from 8lb 14-months ago, but has been unable to repeat that level of form since. Put in one of his better efforts back over that C&D (heavy) last time and wouldn't rule him out of the prize money.

Form: 586-634

Auenwirbel^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: G Sheehan| T: Mrs L J Young| OR: 92

9/2

Won eight times in France in 2014 and 2015 but yet to do so in Britain. Has dropped 10lb since making the frame over C&D (heavy) in November and has a good chance from this mark on some of that form, but does keep taking a supporting role.

Form: 0-93U34

Non-Runners

Fear Glic³²

Weight: 11-13| Age: 12

T: Miss J Du Plessis J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Market Road (7/2), Arquebusier (4/1), Auenwirbel (9/2), Caprice D'anglais (5/1), Bredon Hill Lad (8/1), One Style (10/1), Whispering Harry (10/1), Fear Glic (12/1), Modeligo (14/1)

Auenwirbel has enough form on the board from higher marks to think that he can go close here, though he has had one or two reasonably good chances on paper of late and not been able to take advantage, which is a concern. Caprice D'anglais started well for Charlie Longsdon last time and he could begin to improve, so is an interesting runner. Market Road is in decent form and is entitled to respect returning to fences, though BREDON HILL LAD appears to be in the form of his life and the return to this trip might help his cause in attempting to defy another 6lb rise and complete a hat-trick.