13:20 Cheltenham

Friday 13 December 2019

All12:1012:4513:2013:5514:3015:0515:40

Catesby Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:21 | Winning time: 4m 16.14s

Ecu De La Noverie¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 135

9/1

Reverts to hurdles after taking a 2m handicap chase at Wetherby on his latest start (suited by a positive ride). Consistent sort; now reverts to hurdles off a 3lb higher mark; should be involved despite being beaten off a lower hurdles mark before.

Form: 232-231

Oakley²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 134

6/1

Stablemate of the topweight ended last season with two wins resuming after a break in similar form without winning. Placed on both his recent starts he made a good fist of trying to hunt down a runaway and useful winner last time; up 2lb, respected.

Form: 5211-33

Fanfan Du Seuil⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 133| D

5/1

Dual hurdling winner who ran with credit last time on his return to action at Ayr, maybe just lacking in race fitness (that outing will have put an edge on him). Eased 3lb on the basis of that run, deserves consideration off a career-low mark.

Form: F1257-4

John Constable^t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 130| D

40/1

Smart handicapper in the past but his best days may now be behind him with his losing run now starting to pile up. Below-par when last seen in a 2m Exeter handicap in testing conditions (merely passed beaten horses); best watched for now.

Form: 67-3997

Peter The Mayo Man^t1¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 129WS

20/1

Returns from a wind op (still with a tongue-tie); had been useful over timber for Paul Nicholls, yet to really find his form for this yard. Did hint at better when finishing midfield at Newbury last time (stamina stretched); note a market move.

Form: 51/PF-78

Never Adapt^h³⁹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: B J Geraghty| T: N J Henderson| OR: 128

5/1

A winner on her 2m heavy ground hurdling debut in France she was far too keen to do herself justice here just over a year ago on stable/GB debut in a Grade 2. Now returns for handicap debut (again hooded); has potential, will need to settle better.

Form: 1/3-

Manvers House³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: James Best| T: R Walford| OR: 124

14/1

Stepped up on his previous efforts when second on his first run back from wind surgery last time at Exeter (2m, heavy). Nudged up 2lb for that effort so needs to show a little more can't be ruled out given the promise he showed last time.

Form: 2/0446-2

Nordic Combined^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 123

11/1

Consistent sort but yet to win a race over hurdles failing to stay the longest trip he's tried over hurdles last time at Newbury (2m4f). Some 10lb below his original mark, that gives him a chance although his overall record is off putting.

Form: 0F8-336

Praeceps²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁷⁾| T: A King| OR: 123| D

16/1

Two modest efforts so far this season which if repeated would leave him well short of winning in this company (well below his juvenile form). Yet to win a handicap over hurdles his mark is at least falling but still needs to show more in this company

Form: 3661-90

Robinshill^t²³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 120| D

25/1

Ended a long losing run when successful over fences (his only run in that sphere since returning from a break) at Worcester in October. Two solid efforts over hurdles since then (better over fences); handicapper looks to be in charge off this mark.

Form: 07-4183

Caswell Bay⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 118

16/1

Showed improved form when scoring back in novice company at Newton Abbot in August recording his first/only win so far. Shaped well back in handicap company when given a much stiffer task at Chepstow last time (coped well with soft conditions).

Form: 3294-12

Barntown^h²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 112

6/1

Ex-Irish hurdler who is heading in the right direction for his new yard having made amends for a last hurdle fall on his penultimate start last time back at the same C&D (Lingfield, 2m3f). This looks tougher (up 6lb); can't be dismissed though.

Form: 366-6F1

Repetitio^h²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 10-2| J: David Noonan| T: N J Hawke| OR: 125| D

8/1

Hood appears to have proved to be a catalyst for this one to produce much better form winning a handicap as a 3yo on his debut in that sphere (made all). Not seen in handicaps since, produced a good effort (Grade 2) last time in testing conditions.

Form: 421333

Non-Runners

Grapevine¹⁸

Weight: 10-10| Age: 6

T: Mrs S Leech J: C Brace

Forecasts

Never Adapt (5/1), Fanfan Du Seuil (5/1), Oakley (6/1), Barntown (6/1), Repetitio (8/1), Ecu De La Noverie (9/1), Nordic Combined (11/1), Manvers House (14/1), Grapevine (14/1), Caswell Bay (16/1), Praeceps (16/1), Peter The Mayo Man (20/1), Robinshill (25/1), John Constable (40/1)

Quite easy to make a case for several of these with some progressive/unexposed types on display. Never Adapt is likely to be far better than she showed on her sole GB start if she learns to settle while the likes of Caswell Bay, Barntown and Repetitio all have a race of this nature in them with the first-named of that duo ideally suited to cope with testing conditions. Oakley produced a brave effort in a bid to try and catch a runaway and useful leader/winner last time and looks interesting on the basis of that performance. Fanfan Du Seuil is one to note with his Ayr return tucked away but PETER THE MAYO MAN should find this trip more to his liking on his second run back from a wind op.