13:30 Cheltenham

Wednesday 14 March 2018

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

The Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (registered As The Baring Bingham)

Off time: 13:31 | Winning time: 5m 18.20s

Ahead of The Curve^p,t⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: James Corbett| T: S Corbett| OR: 137

200/1

Stays well and is a two-time winner over hurdles (Uttoxeter and Perth), but beaten in a Musselburgh handicap (3m) on New Years Day latest and well out of his depth at this level.

Form: 212P34

Aye Aye Charlie⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Conor Shoemark| T: F O'Brien| OR: 134

100/1

Southwell bumper winner (January 2017) who arrives without a hurdles success to his name (0 from 4). Boasts plenty of experience of this track, but to all intents and purposes looks firmly up against it in this company.

Form: 14-3F43

Black Op^t⁴⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: N D Fehily| T: T R George| OR: 150| D

8/1

Has shown himself to be an improving young hurdler since landing the odds at Doncaster in early January (2m5f maiden soft). Went down narrowly in a battle with Santini (pair clear) in a Grade 2 2m4f contest here at the Festival trials in January.

Form: 1/19-412

Brahma Bull¹²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins

25/1

Cost €170,000 as a three-year-old, and is unbeaten in four starts so far, making a smooth winning hurdles debut at Thurles in November (2m7f+ heavy). Tricky to assess his true level of ability, but obviously respected given his owner/trainer.

Form: 1111

Coolanly¹⁰¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| BF

100/1

Winner of a low grade Chepstow bumper (2m good to soft) on stable debut in late October, and made a respectable hurdles debut at Leicester in December (2m4f+ soft), but not shown enough to suggest that he's up to this level of competition.

Form: 3P1-12

Diablo De Rouhet⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: M D Grant| T: J Hughes| OR: 127

200/1

Much better since switched to hurdling with form figures reading (5,1,2). However, that success came in a 2m3f+ Chepstow maiden and whilst he handled the hustle and bustle of a 16-runner field, that's nowhere near good enough for a Grade 1 event.

Form: 765122

Duc Des Genievres³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148

10/1

Beaten in both starts over hurdles, but those were strong efforts in Grade 1 novice events, finishing 4L third to Next Destination (2m4f Naas) and a 5½L runner-up to Samcro over 2m at Leopardstown latest. Place prospects.

Form: 132

Gowiththeflow³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| OR: 137| D

40/1

Cost £75,000 in June 2017 following a 3m point-to-point debut success. Ran well on all three starts for this stable over hurdles (2m3f to 2m5f), breaking his Rules duck when making all at Doncaster latest, beating Paisley Park by 1¼L.

Form: 1221

Knight In Dubai^t³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 137| D

100/1

A winner on his hurdles debut over this trip at Wetherby in early December (soft), beating Game On by 4½L, but beaten 7L (third) by Mr Whipped at Warwick next time out. Most likely to be found wanting at this level.

Form: 21-5134

Mind's Eye³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: D N Russell| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 137| BF

66/1

On an upward curve over hurdles having won two of his last three starts (2m maiden, 2m4f handicap), but plenty more to find in order to tackle this Grade 1 contest, with his likely stamina reserves open to much debate.

Form: 22-2110

Next Destination⁶⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 150

4/1

Finished 3L fourth to Fayonagh in the 2017 Champion Bumper and unbeaten in three starts over hurdles (2m3f-2m4f), with no obvious issues with the forecast testing ground. Authoritatively downed Cracking Smart/Duc Des Genievres at Naas latest.

Form: 142-111

Samcro³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 155

8/11

Unbeaten, high class novice (6 from 6 under rules) who crosses the Irish Sea for the first time on the back of an ultra impressive Leopardstown success (2m soft). Longer trip to tackle but that shouldn't be a thorny issue. Standout form horse.

Form: 111-111

Scarpeta⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 134

33/1

75-rated on the Flat (3 from 13), and hasn't raced beyond 2m over hurdles just yet. That said, he looked a strong stayer when a decisive 17L winner of a Gowran Park maiden in January (heavy), and he remains unexposed.

Form: 31

Vision Des Flos^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 147| BF

14/1

2017 Punchestown bumper winner for Robert Tyner, who was seemingly much improved for wind surgery (tongue tied) when ploughing through the Exeter mud to score by 31L latest (2m1f heavy). Needs to improve again, but ground conditions are favourable.

Form: 1-3421

Forecasts

Samcro (8/11), Next Destination (4/1), Black Op (8/1), Duc Des Genievres (10/1), Vision Des Flos (14/1), Brahma Bull (25/1), Scarpeta (33/1), Gowiththeflow (40/1), Mind's Eye (66/1), Aye Aye Charlie (100/1), Coolanly (100/1), Knight In Dubai (100/1), Diablo De Rouhet (200/1), Ahead of The Curve (200/1)

The Irish have landed this contest in five of the past 10 years with Willie Mullins responsible for four of those victories; including with Faugheen in 2014. He saddles a quartet of runners with Next Destination the primary contender. He promises to be ideally suited by the forecast testing ground, along with recent Exeter scorer Vision Des Flos, and brings a high level of proven ability to the table. However, the claims of SAMCRO are impossible to ignore. He comfortably accounted for Duc Des Genievres at Leopardstown, and whilst his stamina reserves might be questioned by some analysts, it's well worth noting that he is a half-brother to the 3m winner Cocacobana.