13:15 Cheltenham

Sunday 17 November 2019

All12:4513:1513:5014:2515:0015:3016:00

Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:23 | Winning time: 8m 44.77s

Urgent De Gregaine^p,t²⁴⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Felix de Giles| T: E Clayeux| OR: 147| CD

5/1

Successful over C&D on good/soft ground in January 2017 and placed three times here since including at the last two Festivals behind Tiger Roll. Big weight to carry, but course form makes him shortlist material.

Form: 5132/P3-

Rolling Dylan^p²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 140

9/1

Failed to score last term but twice ran well here including a close third in Grade 3 handicap here in December. Ran unaccountably badly here last month, however, and needs to leave that poor effort behind.

Form: 34525-P

Tea For Two^t1⁴⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Chester Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs J Williams| OR: 138

7/1

Top-class chaser at best but not the force of old. Faded late on last month's return at Fontwell, and will be much fitter here, so hard to ignore given his latent ability.

Form: 6PUP-24

Fact Of The Matter^p,t⁸²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 138| CD

8/1

Runner-up in this race a year ago and won similar contest here the following month. Not disgraced when fifth in Grand Steeplechase des Flandres at Waregem in August, and will find this somewhat easier.

Form: F2180-5

Kingswell Theatre^p²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: T Scudamore| T: M Scudamore| OR: 137| CD

9/2

Won this contest in 2017, but lightly raced and barren since. Ran well until tiring on return from an absence at Sedgefield last month, and likely to be cherry ripe for this.

Form: 714/62-5

Dawson City²¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: P Gundry| OR: 136

20/1

Stays all day and has won 4m+ Devon National for last two years. Lacks gears at shorter, but jumps soundly, and could be suited by this unusual test.

Form: F57154-

Rathlin Rose^b⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-10| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe| OR: 131

25/1

Below form since winning a veterans' chase at Ascot in March, and didn't run well enough at Sandown last week in a similar event to offer much encouragement.

Form: 7197-67

Chic Name^t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: James Best| T: R Hobson| OR: 129

11/2

Back to winning ways over fences at Newbury in March. Not disgraced in the Scottish National next time, but two runs since have been poor, and work to do here.

Form: 6718-P0

Diesel D'Allier^t1⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: E Clayeux| OR: 125

13/2

Cross-country winner in France and a stablemate of Urgent de Gragaine. Yard does very well in this type of race, so not taken lightly despite appearing the second string. Tongue tied here.

Form: 13-D245

Solstice Star^p,t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: M Keighley| OR: 125| C

8/1

Won two handicap hurdles and a handicap chase last season, but pulled up here in April. Needed the run at Sedgefield on return, and may do better, but has no experience in this type of event.

Form: 1716P-3

Forecasts

Kingswell Theatre (9/2), Urgent De Gregaine (5/1), Chic Name (11/2), Diesel D'Allier (13/2), Tea For Two (7/1), Fact Of The Matter (8/1), Solstice Star (8/1), Rolling Dylan (9/1), Dawson City (20/1), Rathlin Rose (25/1)

Usually best to stick with proven course form in these events, and URGENT DE GREGAINE, second and third to Tiger Roll at the last two Festivals is the default choice in that regard. Both Kingswell Theatre and Fact of The Matter have winning form in similar events here, and look to have been lined up for this, while the selection's stablemate Diesel D'Allier can't be ignored.