14:05 Cheltenham

Wednesday 18 April 2018

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

Citipost Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:06 | Winning time: 4m 57.30s

Poetic Rhythm³³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 145| C

7/2

Hasn't always given his best running here but won the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle earlier in the season on heavy ground, also acts on a sounder surface and is the one to beat here, even if he does have to concede weight all round.

Form: 30-1310

Captain Cattistock^t²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 135| D

7/1

Clear cut winner on heavy ground at Wincanton last time, and though this is tougher he looks progressive. The sounder surface poses a question to him, however.

Form: 1-41141

Dell Oro⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 127

40/1

Return to a likely sounder surface is now bad thing, but he was behind Theclockisticking at Huntingdon last time and there's no obvious reason he should reverse that form.

Form: 17-124

Diese Des Bieffes³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: N D Fehily| T: N J Henderson| OR: 138

5/2

Ran well in novice hurdles earlier in the season before not disgracing himself in top handicap hurdles at Kempton (Lanzarote) and here (Martin Pipe). Switching back to novice company should suit.

Form: 5-11255

Le Musee^t²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Cannon| T: N J Hawke| OR: 122

50/1

Off the mark in good style at Taunton last time and has since had wind surgery, but needs to improve again to be getting involved in a novice hurdle of this quality.

Form: 221

Mister Malarky¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 126

33/1

Has had more racing over hurdles than most of these, but has come up short more often than not and needs to step up to be competitive with the best of these.

Form: 351732

Onefortheroadtom⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: B J Geraghty| T: H Fry

9/1

Couldn't build on early promise shown in novice hurdles before getting back on track in a jumpers' bumper at Kempton last time. Return to a sounder surface now back over obstacles should suit.

Form: 1-1351

Silver Kayf²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 135| D

10/1

This is his toughest task yet in terms of opposition, and he needs to step up on the bare form of what he achieved last time, even though he justified favouritism.

Form: 3-F4131

Theclockisticking⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 138

13/2

Third in a Grade 2 back in December and though well-beaten in Listed company since this is an easier assignment on paper (despite the bigger field) and the sounder surface should suit.

Form: 2-21133

Boreham Bill⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| OR: 130| BF| D

14/1

Has progressed nicely over hurdles so far, and probably put in his finest effort to date at Fontwell last time. Shaped as if there should be further improvement to come there but likely to be outclassed in this all the same.

Form: 05-4412

Cuddles Mcgraw^t1¹⁶⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Alain Cawley| T: F O'BrienWS

100/1

Down the field in a Newbury bumper back in November and tough to see him having an impact here as the stable's second string.

Form: 0

Gosheven³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White

33/1

Placed on hurdling debut at Kempton last time out which was an improvement on his bumper form, but a long way off what will be required in this contest.

Form: 53

Mzuzu¹³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: T R George

100/1

Placed in a bumper on rules debut at Chepstow in December. Should improve on that but still best watched up against some more experienced contenders.

Form: 1-3

Quarry Leader⁸⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Kielan Woods| T: A M Hales

66/1

Beaten 21L on hurdling debut at Ascot last time and on collateral form has plenty to find with the best of these on that run.

Form: 1/4

Forecasts

Diese Des Bieffes (5/2), Poetic Rhythm (7/2), Theclockisticking (13/2), Captain Cattistock (7/1), Onefortheroadtom (9/1), Silver Kayf (10/1), Boreham Bill (14/1), Gosheven (33/1), Mister Malarky (33/1), Dell Oro (40/1), Le Musee (50/1), Quarry Leader (66/1), Mzuzu (100/1), Cuddles Mcgraw (100/1)

Diese Des Bieffes is entitled to run a big race on the evidence of his efforts both in the Lanzarote Hurdle and here in the Martin Pipe, but preference is for POETIC RHYTHM. Though his course form is a mild concern, those have generally been the most competitive races that he's contested so far, and as a Grade 1 winner (albeit a weak Grade 1) having to concede just 4lb to the majority of his rivals here he can get back to winning way. At a likely bigger price, Onefortheroadtom may be able to play a hand having got back on track in a jumpers' bumper last time out.