14:35 Cheltenham

Wednesday 1 January 2020

All12:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:50

Paddy Power 69 Sleeps To Cheltenham Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:36 | Winning time: 6m 13.3s

Might Bite^p²⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 160| CD

12/1

Top class chaser on his day but has failed to finish in his last couple of starts. Could be a class apart from these if he takes to timber again though and drying ground will suit.

Form: 21/57P-U

Beware The Bear^p³²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson| OR: 155| C| D

9/1

Won the 3m2f chase on this card last year before a Festival success in the Ultima. His return at Newbury was full of promise but not sure to be suited by a return to this sphere.

Form: P/411P-4

The Jam Man²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Aidan Coleman| T: R McNally| OR: 144| D

8/1

Landed a hat-trick when winning at Newton Abbot in July and returned with a belated four-timer success at Navan last month; handicapper has taken no chances with his revised mark though.

Form: 071111

Kilbricken Storm^t¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 143| CD

8/1

Tailed off on each of his last three starts that includes two course efforts. He's a two-time course winner who finds himself on a nice mark but others make more appeal given his current form; second start since a wind operation.

Form: 3/1600-8

Shantou Village^t³²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 141| C| D

25/1

Has failed to finish on each of his last four starts. Returns to hurdles for the first time since 2016 when pulled up in the Albert Bartlett and he's hard to recommend in this contest.

Form: 56UP-UP

Who's My Jockey^t1²¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Ben Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: R Hobson| OR: 141| D

10/1

Landed a beginners' chase at Hexham when last seen and at least equally as effective over hurdles, as seen when winning at Doncaster last year. Interesting contender if he's ready to go first time up here.

Form: 0315-41

Skandiburg⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: G Sheehan| T: O Murphy| OR: 134

3/1

Four wins from eight starts for this yard and stayed on well at Aintree last time out to hold on in convincing fashion. 6lb rise could underestimate him.

Form: 1281-21

Mason Jar²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Cillin Leonard⁽⁷⁾| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 133

14/1

Rattled off a hat-trick in good fashion in October/November but signs the handicapper has now caught up with him. Needs to find improvement for the step up in trip.

Form: 211163

Rapper⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: H D Daly| OR: 133

13/2

Came on from his reappearance to win a 2m7f race at Market Rasen. 10lb higher here but still very lightly raced and the runner-up from his race last time has come out and boosted the form.

Form: 3162-71

Taj Badalandabad^t,v²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 131| D

40/1

On a near two year losing run but entitled to need the run on his return from a lengthy absence at Sandown last time out. Handicapper is really giving him a chance from this sort of mark (fourth at 2018's Festival from 7lb higher).

Form: P1044/P

Constantine Bay¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Jack Tudor⁽⁷⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 131| D

25/1

Returns to hurdles having posted two very disappointing efforts over fences this season. Fourth in 2017's Albert Bartlett so feasibly handicapped but must leave those recent efforts behind.

Form: 144/5-44

Goodbye Dancer^t¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 130| CD

5/1

Capitalised on his reduced mark here at the International meeting but furthest out of the handicap for this and others hold stronger claims.

Form: 6839-41

Non-Runners

Ask Dillon⁵

Weight: 10-3| Age: 7

T: F O'Brien J: C Brace

Anytime Will Do³³

Weight: 10-0| Age: 7

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Forecasts

Skandiburg (3/1), Goodbye Dancer (5/1), Rapper (13/2), Kilbricken Storm (8/1), The Jam Man (8/1), Ask Dillon (8/1), Beware The Bear (9/1), Who's My Jockey (10/1), Anytime Will Do (10/1), Might Bite (12/1), Mason Jar (14/1), Constantine Bay (25/1), Shantou Village (25/1), Taj Badalandabad (40/1)

SKANDIBURG gives the impression he's a horse on the up and there was plenty to like about his Aintree success last time out. with just a 6lb rise to cope with, the six-year-old is expected to continue in form. Anytime Will Do is interesting in first-time headgear and he's less exposed than several of these while Taj Badalandabad has become well-handicapped on old form.