16:15 Catterick

Wednesday 10 March 2021

All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1516:5017:25

Cheltenham Festival On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 7m 6.70s

Poppa Poutine⁸¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 122

9/4

Improved to make winning handicap debut at Southwell (3m) in December. Backward step at Ascot 18 days later but retains potential on this return from a short break. Player.

Form: 2-3416

Cooking Fat^p⁷¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: Miss P Robson| OR: 118| CD

8/1

Handicap chase off 2 lb higher in July 2018. Off 20 months, shaped as if retaining ability when fourth of 6 in 3m Doncaster hurdle in December, weakening after 2 out.

Form: 1345U/4

Show Promise¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Ross Chapman| T: P A Kirby| OR: 114| C

9/1

Placed several times in bumpers and fairly useful over hurdles. However, no better than mid-field in 2 jumpers bumpers to start 2020 and pulled up back hurdling 16 days ago.

Form: P4557P

Blackfinch^p⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: C Gethings| T: S Edmunds| OR: 113

11/2

Made quite a bright start over hurdles last term but beaten at short odds on return in October and form has declined since, finishing remote fifth of 6 at Uttoxeter when last seen in December.

Form: 20-23P5

Steel Wave^p,t1⁴⁸³

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Hanmer| OR: 109

66/1

Dual Bangor chase winner in early-summer 2019 but not seen since pulling up there in November of that year. First-time tongue added to usual cheekpieces back hurdling on belated return. Best watched.

Form: 15733P-

Skipness¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 108

20/1

Clear signs of ability in maiden/novice events on last 2 starts. Should have more to come now handicapping over a much longer trip.

Form: 6656

Be My Sea²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Max Kendrick⁽³⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 107

13/2

Fair winning stayer on Flat and over hurdles. Not disgraced when fifth of 12 in 21f Ascot handicap hurdle in December and posted a couple of respectable runs on AW Flat since. Stable going well.

Form: 6318-P5

Aheadfullofdreams⁶⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 95

11/4

Improved when first past post on 3m Ayr return in October only to lose race in the stewards' room. Only fifth over 19f at Warwick since but returns from 10 weeks off with yard in top form. Player.

Form: 7088-D5

Non-Runners

Florrie Knox⁶⁹

Weight: 11-9| Age: 8

T: A M Hales J: Kielan Woods

Forecasts

Poppa Poutine (9/4), Aheadfullofdreams (11/4), Blackfinch (11/2), Florrie Knox (6/1), Be My Sea (13/2), Cooking Fat (8/1), Show Promise (9/1), Skipness (20/1), Steel Wave (66/1)

POPPA POUTINE is taken to resume his progression back from a short break and make it 2-3 in handicaps, perhaps at the main expense of Dan Skelton's Aheadfullofdreams. Be My Sea is also shortlisted for in-form Tony Carroll.