17:30 Cheltenham

Thursday 12 March 2020

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase

Off time: 17:30 | Winning time: 7m 9.2s

Le Musee^v¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Kieren Buckley⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 145

100/1

Consistent over fences last summer; winning twice at up to 2m4f on good/soft ground. Down the field in the Ladbrokes Trophy when last sighted over jumps and tailed off on AW most recent start.

Form: 1331P0

Le Breuil⁶¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr J J Codd| T: B Pauling| OR: 145| C

5/1

Won the old four-miler here last season under Jamie Codd and they also ran creditably in the Becher (3m2f) at Aintree in December; held in Warwick's Classic Chase since over further but back here on last year's winning mark and commands respect.

Form: 241-P75

Cabaret Queen³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr M J O'Hare| T: W P Mullins| OR: 145

40/1

Ex-Dan Skelton mare won Munster National (3m, heavy) on second start for Willie Mullins in October; pulled up next time in Ladbrokes Trophy but still going well when hampered and fell at Christmas; more needed from this mark after hurdle spin since.

Form: F21PF0

The Young Master^p¹²⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 144| C

40/1

Twice-placed at this Festival (third in this last year from 2lb lower); has the form to be a threat but not getting any younger and pulled up only chase start this season; could do with ground drying out as well to be at his best.

Form: 11P32-P

Flying Angel^v⁵⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr Zac Baker| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 144

40/1

Ascot winner (2m5f) on soft going in November and ran a fine race here last March over C&D in the Ultima from 2lb lower rating. Has won from higher marks than this and cannot be crossed off for locally-based trainer.

Form: 56-4146

Deise Aba⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr William Biddick| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 142

8/1

Point-to-point winner whose hurdles career was punctuated by absences; but he's now making up for lost time over fences. Beat some useful rivals at Sandown latest (3m, heavy) for second win and excellent Will Biddick up from 7lb higher; contender.

Form: 44-P411

Fitzhenry^b³⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: P Nolan| OR: 142

7/1

Troytown second and filled same berth in the pulsating Paddy Power at Leopardstown over Christmas (both 3m, soft); drop in trip didn't suit last time and jumping errors cost him going faster. Big player and Patrick Mullins' presence fascinating.

Form: 4-53220

Go Another One^t¹³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr J C Barry| T: J C McConnell| OR: 142

50/1

Smart novice hurdler has won 2-4 over fences; third here over 2m4f (heavy) in October behind subsequent Grade 1-winning novice Slate House. Has run well fresh in the past but handicapper taking no chances with mark of 142 to start with.

Form: 1-51123

The Kings Writ⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Mr Joshua Newman⁽³⁾| T: K Woollacott| OR: 141

40/1

Consistent chaser has run well here before in one visit and is a heavy ground winner; improving with each of three starts this season (twice finished second on soft) but slightly unfortunate to have crept all the way up to 141 for being consistent.

Form: 142-322

Milan Native^t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 141

9/1

Yet to win in five starts over fences but learning curve has included fair efforts in behind the likes Fakir D'oudairies and Allaho; opening mark of 141 is high enough for trainer that won this in 2017.

Form: 452422

Bob Mahler^b1⁴⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr N McParlan| T: W Greatrex| OR: 140| C

16/1

3-11 over fences, including good-ground C&D success in April last year; 8lb higher than that now having won the Edinburgh National over four-miles last time out. First-time blinkers on and needs a career best to land this down in trip.

Form: 1-PP321

Militarian⁴⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: J Martin⁽³⁾| T: Andrew Martin| OR: 140WS

25/1

Caused a 50-1 stir on comeback at Ascot in November over 3m on soft ground; he has also run well at this track. Well held since but handicapper gives some relief and has undergone a wind op since midfield finish over shorter here on Trials Day.

Form: 34-1845

Ardlethen⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Miss Gina Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 140

18/1

Winner at Chepstow over this sort of trip on chase bow in October and has not been disgraced since in graded novice events; second last time at Wetherby (3m, soft) though the first-time cheekpieces sported there are absent now. Not one to discount.

Form: 8-12352

Plan Of Attack^p⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr B O'Neill| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 140

10/1

2-4 over fences; latest at Aintree over 3m1f (soft) in October. Ran a blinder (third) in fiercely competitive Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and should have his chance from 5lb higher for trainer on the board this week.

Form: 20-2113

Fingerontheswitch^p⁴⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Millie Wonnacott⁽⁵⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 139

33/1

Experienced performer and his form this season perhaps better than ever; second to Copperhead and Ok Corral either side of decisive Kempton win (3m, good to soft) in January. Mark of 139 does rather put his back to the wall.

Form: 332212

Like The Sound^t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr James King| T: C J Mann| OR: 138

66/1

Likes a proper stamina test; winner over further at Taunton last March but has been in and out this term; best of his three runs was over C&D on New Year's Day when third from 1lb higher mark so bears some thought.

Form: U1-9F3P

Kilfilum Cross^p³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Alex Edwards| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 138

8/1

Rated 1lb lower than when chasing home Any Second Now in this contest a year ago; good second last time at Kempton in first-time cheekpieces (retained) and remains very low-mileage for his age; should be firmly in the mix again.

Form: 24-3P42

Champagne Platinum^p1⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Derek O'Connor| T: N J Henderson| OR: 138

5/1

Lightly-raced sort, outran odds of 40-1 in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown last time; cheekpieces on for handicap bow from fair mark with Derek O'Connor a huge asset in the saddle.

Form: 11-5543

Thomas Patrick^p1⁷³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien| T: T Lacey| OR: 137| D

50/1

Full of promise in the spring of 2018, winning 3-4 over fences at around this trip on soft ground; lost his way afterwards and pulled up at Haydock in December on return from 317-day absence. Cheekpieces tried now and handicap mark is very fair.

Form: 2P8P4-P

Coup De Pinceau^p¹³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137

40/1

All of his career wins, including two chases, have come in small-field affairs; shaped okay in two visits here over hurdles and nothing wrong with third at Wincanton when last sighted 137 days ago but a query over how he'll handle hustle and bustle.

Form: 11342-3

Cloth Cap⁸⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: R Deegan| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 137| BF

14/1

Two wins from seven over fences but has been plagued by breaks in his career; winner over the trip and solid placed effort at Ascot (behind Militarian) and Doncaster before Christmas. Handicapped to need his best but should be competitive.

Form: 113-432

Just A Sting^p¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Mr M Legg| T: H Fry| OR: 136

33/1

Never able to get a punch in from 1lb higher mark in this race last year; winner at Kempton over Christmas but fell back there since and hard to be confident on the back of that outcome.

Form: 20P-41F

One Style²²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: Miss Lucy Turner⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 135

33/1

Is on an absolute roll having won his last five starts over variety of trip mostly on heavy/soft ground; now 32lb higher than where he started after latest 6lb rise and tough ask to keep the sequence going in this company.

Form: 311/111

Non-Runners

Ami Desbois⁴⁰

Weight: 11-8| Age: 10

T: D Killahena & G McPherson J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Champagne Platinum (5/1), Le Breuil (5/1), Fitzhenry (7/1), Kilfilum Cross (8/1), Deise Aba (8/1), Milan Native (9/1), Plan Of Attack (10/1), Cloth Cap (14/1), Bob Mahler (16/1), Ardlethen (18/1), Militarian (25/1), Ami Desbois (25/1), One Style (33/1), Just A Sting (33/1), Fingerontheswitch (33/1), Flying Angel (40/1), The Kings Writ (40/1), Cabaret Queen (40/1), The Young Master (40/1), Coup De Pinceau (40/1), Go Another One (50/1), Thomas Patrick (50/1), Like The Sound (66/1), Le Musee (100/1)

A strong Irish challenge here and two that appeal are Fitzhenry and PLAN OF ATTACK, with marginal preference for the latter given how Henry De Bromhead's runners have started this meeting. They were second and third respectively in a strong Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and should have leading roles now. The selection has more scope for improvement and can go well from a 5lb higher mark today. Deise Aba is progressing fast over fences and can head up the British challenge along with Cloth Cap in the same ownership. Festival winner Le Breuil and last year's second Kilfilum Cross must go on any shortlist.