16:10 Cheltenham

Saturday 25 January 2020

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:10

Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:11 | Winning time: 4m 21.0s

Sofia's Rock^h,t⁷⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 140

5/1

Capable of good handicap form when the ground rides no worse than good, often races keenly and a big field/good pace will help his cause; no chance behind an easy winner at Huntingdon last time but comes here in good heart.

Form: 131-532

Lust For Glory²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen⁽³⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 134

13/2

Her second to Not So Sleepy at Ascot in November reads really well, but she's not reproduced that in two subsequent efforts and now has a bit to prove. Handicapper offering no respite either, and easy enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 105-204

Ainchea^t1²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 133

7/2

Looked a really useful novice before taking a tumble at Sandown a couple of years ago and sustaining a long-term injury; recent comeback effort suggested he needs more time to get fully fit, and is best watched here.

Form: 212F/9

We Run The Night²³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| OR: 131| D

8/1

Winner of three from three in France, all at Nancy, but not hard to knock holes in the form, with few of those beaten running well since; opening British mark looks plenty high enough based on those efforts.

Form: 11-1

Linger²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: L Treadwell| T: Miss C Dyson| OR: 130| D

100/1

Winner for Joseph O'Brien at Cork in October before joining current connections not long after; shown little in two starts for them and still looks plenty high enough in the handicap at present.

Form: 7-1F1U8

En Meme Temps^p⁹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 125

10/1

Useful handicapper at a slightly lower level than today's, but did come back from a break to run Native Fighter close at Carlisle in October; not seen again since, which is probably a plus, needs decent ground and should improve again for new yard.

Form: 22821-2

Northern Beau^b,t⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Brendan Powell| T: M Scudamore| OR: 125| C

16/1

Dug very deep to win a chase here on New Year's Day after looking beaten at various stages, and on the same mark back over hurdles here; seems to act on all grounds but must be a concern they'll go a stride too quickly for her here.

Form: 1-31P61

John Constable^t²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 123| D

8/1

Very useful handicapper at his peak, chanced his arm in a Champion Hurdle once too; soft ground no use to him this winter and now very well handicapped as a result, yet his run here in December showed all was not lost; very interesting.

Form: 399778

Back On The Lash⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: J J Burke| T: M Keighley| OR: 122

13/2

Winner in lesser grade at Exeter back in October but below that form in two starts since then, and this trip probably on the short side for him anyway; yard struggling for winners this winter too.

Form: 4P-2157

Shut The Box⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: J E Moore| T: C Gordon| OR: 121WS

12/1

His fifth to Triumph Hurdle winner Pentland Hills last year makes him look fairly treated here, but last two starts have been backwards steps; however, has had a wind operation, which could turn his fortunes around, and not written off yet.

Form: 451-350

The Twisler^p²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 115

20/1

It was a better effort at Doncaster on his latest start but that was in a much lesser grade than this, and he was still easily enough beaten in the end; overall strike rate is nothing to write home about, and others make more appeal.

Form: 66-6672

Non-Runners

Sleep Easy⁷

Weight: 10-8| Age: 8

T: Mrs S Leech J: C Brace

Forecasts

Ainchea (7/2), Sofia's Rock (5/1), Back On The Lash (13/2), Lust For Glory (13/2), John Constable (8/1), We Run The Night (8/1), En Meme Temps (10/1), Shut The Box (12/1), Northern Beau (16/1), The Twisler (20/1), Sleep Easy (33/1), Linger (100/1)

A tough race for punters to get out on, but maybe this is the day it all falls right for JOHN CONSTABLE, who has the drying ground he so badly needs, looks on a very winnable mark and ought to get this run to suit his hold-up style. He's risky, but he'll not get many better opportunities. Sofia's Rock is another that will enjoy better ground and could go close, and Shut The Box has the potential for better.