15:45 Cheltenham

Saturday 26 October 2019

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

Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:51 | Winning time: 6m 47.30s

Tobefair¹⁹²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Mrs D A Hamer| OR: 149| CD

8/1

Back to his best last term after a season in the doldrums and failed by just a neck to land the Final of this series at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Won here at April meeting but now 7lb higher so more needed.

Form: 49P221-

Sykes²⁰³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Matt Griffiths| T: Nicky Martin| OR: 147| D

5/1

Lost out by just a short-head in this race 12 months ago off 8lb lower than today, but stayed on bravely to win at Haydock in February prior to pulling up at Aintree in Grade 1 in April. Likes this track so is respected.

Form: 200/21P-

Captain Tommy¹⁸⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington| OR: 135

5/1

Progressive young staying novice who won twice last season prior to ending with second place in a Listed event at Perth in April. Makes handicap bow here and isn't easy to assess so could be something of a dark horse.

Form: 835112-

Potters Legend⁵⁷⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: J M Quinlan| T: L Wadham| OR: 134| D

7/1

Took advantage of falling mark when staying on well to score in 3m1f h'cap chase at Haydock in March. Not seen since but has won first time out two out of three previous campaigns. First hurdles outings since third in Grade 1 in April 2016.

Form: 7P64F1/

Burrows Park²⁰³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 133

9/2

Yard yet to have a winner from just a few runners this term. Showed he stayed when stepping up to beyond this trip to score at Kelso in March then not disgraced in hot race at Aintree final start. May be one for later in the term.

Form: 123910-

Sunset Showdown^b⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 132

11/1

Got his act together of late winning three of his last four novice hurdles at up to 2m7f. Should stay but faces bigger challenge here on handicap bow. Interesting to note any market support as could be more improvement to come.

Form: U21211

Doubly Clever⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Luca Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: J Farrelly| OR: 132| BF

16/1

Back to form following move to current yard landing two 2m4f h'cap hurdles at Worcester prior to finishing second off revised mark at Uttoxeter last month. Raised 1lb more and steps up in trip with conditional claiming 7lb.

Form: P12112

Neverbeen To Paris¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: Bryony Frost| T: H Whittington| OR: 128

3/1

Won 2m5f h'cap at Ludlow and Kempton in spring for David Arbuthnot and shaped well on first otuing for new yard when second at Stratford recently. Faces stiffer task here but worth a try at this longer trip and may not be disgraced.

Form: 651-152

Non-Runners

Robin The Raven¹⁵⁴

Weight: 11-5| Age: 7

T: K Bailey & M Nicholls J: David Bass

Aye Right³⁸

Weight: 11-4| Age: 6

T: Mrs H O Graham J: R Johnson

Two Taffs⁷²⁸

Weight: 11-1| Age: 9

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Gunfleet¹⁹

Weight: 10-10| Age: 7

T: Miss E C Lavelle J: L P Aspell

Theclockisticking³²

Weight: 10-9| Age: 7

T: S Edmunds J: C Gethings

Forecasts

Neverbeen To Paris (3/1), Burrows Park (9/2), Sykes (5/1), Captain Tommy (5/1), Aye Right (11/2), Potters Legend (7/1), Theclockisticking (15/2), Tobefair (8/1), Two Taffs (8/1), Gunfleet (8/1), Robin The Raven (10/1), Sunset Showdown (11/1), Doubly Clever (16/1)

A typically competitive renewal in which a chance is taken that a wind op has done the trick for THECLOCKISTICKING who ran very well here in last years's Final, and at Aintree after that off higher marks. At the top of the handicap both Tobefair and Sykes are dangers, while Scottish challenger Aye Right catches the eye with the champion on board. Potters Legend is well in on old hurdles form and is a fascinating contender on his first start over timber for a very long time, and a case can also be made for the likes of Sunset Showdown and Gunfleet.