15:10 Cheltenham

Friday 25 October 2019

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Two Farmers Crisps Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 5m 15.50s

Golan Fortune⁵⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr S Lee⁽⁷⁾| T: P W Middleton| OR: 137| D

40/1

Returns from a significant absence having won three handicaps over this sort of trip in 2017 off much lower marks than he faces today. Competitive in this grade; strong travellers, hard to think he won't need this outing.

Form: F11230/

Printing Dollars¹⁹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen⁽³⁾| T: W Greatrex| OR: 135

20/1

Won her only bumper start on debut before progressing nicely over hurdles landing a novice and a handicap on her debut in that sphere. Ended the season with a good second at Ayr (3m); faces her toughest test off this mark, up 7lb from last time.

Form: 221172-

Boreham Bill¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: D A Jacob| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 133

16/1

Recorded his first win for this yard when winning at Stratford last time off a six-month break (has gone well fresh in the past). May have been straighter than some of the opposition last time; should cope with a modest 4lb rise; enters the equation.

Form: 24367-1

Duke Street^p²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Cillin Leonard⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 133

9/1

Arrives attempting to complete a long-range hat-trick having won two races with a break of 16-months between then off the back of a wind op last time. Looked as good as ever winning at Worcester (2m4f, heavy; overcame a bad mistake); interesting.

Form: 3037/1-1

Liosduin Bhearna²¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 132

9/1

Consistent sort in bumpers/hurdles, well found in the market when making a winning hurdles debut at Ayr (2m4f, good/soft); improved again to follow up next time (up 5lb). Unbeaten in handicaps but up 12lb for his seasonal return; still has potential.

Form: 232211-

Tedham²⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 131| BF| DWS

6/1

Confirmed the promise shown in novice hurdles when making a successful handicap hurdle debut at Wincanton over this trip. Couldn't quite make the leap in class when attempting to follow up at Aintree in April; smart prospect, returns from a wind op.

Form: 3/43217-

Breaking Waves²¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Aspell| T: Noel Williams| OR: 131| D

6/1

First-time out bumper winner who gradually got the hang of hurdling when taking a Huntingdon novice in February (2m4f). Failed to continue his upward path when last seen in a Newbury novice; returns from a break to make his handicap debut.

Form: 1/33614-

Smarty Wild²²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130

7/1

Made further progress from winning his initial novice when bolting up by 11L at Exeter (handicap debut) and followed up off the same mark at Taunton when last seen (up in trip). Rewarded with a hefty 10lb rise as he returns from a break; progress lik

Form: 663111-

Utility³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Callum McKinnes⁽⁷⁾| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 130

66/1

Quirky type who turned over a new leaf to race much more kindly over the summer winning twice over fences; form starting to tail off since his last win. Returned to hurdles off a lower mark but hard to envisage him getting involved at this level.

Form: 4-F11F4

Sleep Easy^p¹⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: T Scudamore| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 126| D

40/1

Chase winner beating a couple of rivals at Kelso earlier in the year before failing miserably at Newton Abbot when attempting to follow up (made mistakes). Returns from a break to go hurdling off a 3lb lower mark that when last over hurdles.

Form: 0833-14

Back On The Lash^h¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Patrick Cowley⁽⁵⁾| T: M Keighley| OR: 125

14/1

Comes here having produced a career-best on his return from five-months off at Exeter in a first-time hood to win off a 6lb lower mark. Well positioned but still has something more to offer although this is a deeper contest than last time.

Form: 314P-21

Trans Express^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Lucy Gardner| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 125| D

40/1

Looked as though he needed the run last time when beaten 24L at Fontwell with 0-145 company looking too testing for this Exeter regular. Likely to continue to find life hard in this grade away from his favourite venue; others appeal more.

Form: 3414-24

Meldrum Lad⁶⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: Justin Landy| OR: 125| BF

25/1

Made a successful return to Rules having won three point-to-points in a Ladies Riders Hunter Chase at Stratford; shaped well enough in handicap company after (same C&D). Returns over hurdles off what looks a workable mark.

Form: 0/111-13

Rapper²⁰⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: T J O'Brien| T: H D Daly| OR: 124| D

8/1

Looked an improved model when taking a Ludlow novice (suited by the step up in trip), struggled directly after that before bouncing back returned to his winning C&D. Makes his handicap debut returning from a break; yard have been in good form.

Form: 463162-

The Big Galloper²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: D N Russell| T: C Byrnes| OR: 122

7/1

Irish raider from a very shrewd yard who landed a considerable gamble last time at Roscommon to shed his maiden status. Only won narrowly and this mark asks more but has to be respected given his connections despite the stiffer task.

Form: 3585-91

Vaziani³⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: James Best| T: R Walford| OR: 118| BF

14/1

Long absence since falling at Exeter last December in a race where he had looked as though he would go close. Had shown so fair form in France as well as landing a juvenile hurdle at Taunton in 2017; hard to see him making an impact here though.

Form: 12/75F-

Treasure Dillon²¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 114

16/1

Built on a sound previous effort to land a Chepstow handicap hurdle (cheekpieces on both times, not worn here) in March off a 7lb lower mark. May have more to offer but does have to cope with a fair rise in grade; still unexposed.

Form: 422921-

Non-Runners

Storm Goddess¹⁹⁰

Weight: 10-12| Age: 5

T: C E Longsdon J: Aidan Coleman

Mister Universum²²

Weight: 10-12| Age: 7

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Forecasts

Breaking Waves (6/1), Tedham (6/1), The Big Galloper (7/1), Smarty Wild (7/1), Rapper (8/1), Duke Street (9/1), Liosduin Bhearna (9/1), Back On The Lash (14/1), Vaziani (14/1), Treasure Dillon (16/1), Boreham Bill (16/1), Printing Dollars (20/1), Storm Goddess (20/1), Mister Universum (20/1), Meldrum Lad (25/1), Trans Express (40/1), Sleep Easy (40/1), Golan Fortune (40/1), Utility (66/1)

This looks as competitive as the numbers would suggest with a host of runners who could progress in handicaps. Of that group TEDHAM is selected to make a winning return even though he failed to cope with a step up in grade at Aintree when last seen, a wind op could make plenty of difference. Smarty Wild has won his last three and looks a danger along with one seeking a hat-trick Liosduin Bhearna he looks a very straightforward and honest type. It may well have been job done with The Big Galloper last time but he has to be respected especially if there are positive market vibes again. Rapper comes from a yard in good form, he along with Duke Street and Breaking Waves isn’t out of this.