16:50 Cheltenham

Friday 19 March 2021

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:50

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:51 | Winning time: 4m 59.70s

Floueur⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 143

33/1

Failed to take to chasing to end 2020 but right back on his game when sixth in a deep handicap at Navan in January. Since moved yards and mark isn't overly harsh.

Form: 113-666

Eglantine Du Seuil^t³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Bryan Carver| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 143| C

33/1

Smart hurdler for Willie Mullins and back on track for this yard when second of 8 in a C&D handicap in December. Disappointing twice since but return to big-field handicap scenario will suit.

Form: 0-58235

Leoncavallo^b,t¹⁶⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Fergus Gillard| T: D Pipe| OR: 142

28/1

Useful hurdler for Dr Richard Newland. Chase/Flat winner for this yard last summer before running well for long way when sixth in Cesarewitch in October. Presumably been saved for this.

Form: 05/824-1

Dallas Des Pictons^b¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Fergus Gregory| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 142| D

66/1

Runner-up in this race from 2 lb lower in 2019 so has it in him to be very competitive, but the wheels have come off in recent times. Plenty to prove in a change of headgear.

Form: 4U-4430

Galopin Des Champs⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142

8/1

Made winning debut in France in May and best effort for this yard when sixth to Appreciate It in Chanelle Pharma Novices' Hurdle at Leopardstown last time. Step up in trip will suit now handicapping.

Form: 12P6

Amour de Nuit⁵⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Angus Cheleda| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 141| D

100/1

Made light of 20-month absence when landing 20f Plumpton handicap in November. Solid in-frame efforts the next twice and heavy ground perhaps to blame for Taunton flop.

Form: 42/1245

Gabynako⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: C P McNamara| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 141

9/2

Big-field maiden winner in the mud at Naas in November. Handed a stiff mark and finished mid-field at Leopardstown last month so must improve for extra emphasis on stamina.

Form: 221330

Mill Green²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Joe Anderson| T: N J Henderson| OR: 140

40/1

Useful hurdler who produced a career best when sixth in this a year ago. Same mark here and arrives on the back of a fair chase debut at Newbury.

Form: 3/1P6-54

Gentleman De Mee^h1³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Simon Torrens| T: W P Mullins| OR: 139

4/1

Runner-up twice for Guillaume Macaire in 2019 and landed the odds in comfortable fashion on last month's reappearance at Naas. Form nothing out of the ordinary but he may improve a lot. Hooded.

Form: 22-1

Fire Attack^h,t1³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Oakley Brown| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 138

8/1

Fell in Moscow Flyer Novices' Hurdle at Punchestown in January but showed no ill effects back there last month, shaping better than the result having stumbled. Tongue tie added on handicap debut.

Form: 12-26F3

Commandingpresence¹⁰³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: H Morgan| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 137| D

22/1

Punchestown debut winner in September. Looked set to follow up in listed company the following month, only to fall at the last and then found 3m too much of a test. Handicap debut after a break.

Form: 2-1F5

First Lord De Cuet^b,t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Page Fuller| T: D Pipe| OR: 137

50/1

Gained reward for a string of consistent efforts when landing 21.4f handicap at Wincanton a month ago. 10 lb rise demands another jolt of progress.

Form: 322421

Fabulous Saga^t²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Rex Dingle| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 137| D

100/1

Useful novice hurdler for Willie Mullins in 2017/18 but off for over 3 years prior to pulling up in a novice chase here in December. Readily brushed aside back in a handicap and now back in trip.

Form: 1177/P4

Whatsupwithyou⁸³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Luca Morgan| T: B Pauling| OR: 136

33/1

Winner of an Ascot maiden hurdle on Rules debut last season. Best effort since when runner-up over 21f here in November, but not in the same form at Kempton next time and needs to raise his game.

Form: 1P3-725

Clondaw Cian^p¹¹⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 136| C

100/1

One-time useful hurdler/chaser who gained second win of the season in France in November. Hard to be confident he's up to being competitive from this sort of mark these days.

Form: P13PP1

Frontal Assault^p²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Jordan Gainford| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 136

16/1

Made first start in Graded company a winning one in a small-field affair at Navan a month ago (3m). Not easy to argue he's well treated back in a handicap.

Form: 242101

Dream Berry^t¹⁰⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: K Brogan| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 135

66/1

Lightly raced in recent seasons but enhanced good record fresh when third on 20.5f Market Rasen reappearance in October. Not in the same form twice since, though, and others more persuasive.

Form: 7/20-397

Dolciano Dici^p,t1³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Patrick Cowley| T: B Barr| OR: 135

300/1

Failed to win a race for Willie Mullins. Last of 6 in a jumpers bumper on stable debut last month and this is asking a lot. Headgear back on.

Form: 446-246

Adjali¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr Ben Ffrench Davis| T: N J Henderson| OR: 135

50/1

Smart juvenile hurdler in 2018/19. Things haven't gone to plan in light career since, though did offer a lot more when runner-up over fences at Ludlow recently. Well-run race may find him out.

Form: 4/60-P42

Langer Dan⁶^{(ex 5)}

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Lorcan Williams| T: D Skelton| OR: 130

13/2

Useful juvenile last term, listed winner at Wetherby and fine sixth in Fred Winter. Confirmed promise of Market Rasen run when a decisive winner of the Imperial Cup and looks well-in under a penalty.

Form: 26-9541

Martinhal^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: R Patrick| T: D Pipe| OR: 133

18/1

Heavy-ground bumper winner who is going the right way over hurdles, landing maiden and novice events at Exeter this winter. Different underfoot conditions to contend with on handicap bow up in trip.

Form: F1-4411

Folcano²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Ben Jones| T: Mrs D Foster| OR: 132| D

15/2

Point winner who didn't need to improve on a brace of runner-up efforts in January to get off the mark under Rules at Fairyhouse last month. Opening mark stiff on the face of it. RESERVE.

Form: F1-4221

Non-Runners

And The New²⁰

Weight: 11-7| Age: 10

T: J Farrelly J: Mitchell Bastyan

Pileon²⁷

Weight: 11-7| Age: 7

T: P Hobbs & J White J: Non Runner

Golden Taipan¹³

Weight: 11-0| Age: 7

T: F O'Brien J: Ben Godfrey

Forecasts

Gentleman De Mee (4/1), Gabynako (9/2), Langer Dan (13/2), Folcano (15/2), Galopin Des Champs (8/1), Fire Attack (8/1), Frontal Assault (16/1), Martinhal (18/1), And The New (20/1), Commandingpresence (22/1), Leoncavallo (28/1), Floueur (33/1), Whatsupwithyou (33/1), Eglantine Du Seuil (33/1), Pileon (33/1), Golden Taipan (33/1), Mill Green (40/1), First Lord De Cuet (50/1), Adjali (50/1), Dallas Des Pictons (66/1), Dream Berry (66/1), Amour de Nuit (100/1), Clondaw Cian (100/1), Fabulous Saga (100/1), Dolciano Dici (300/1)

It was by no means the most competitive Imperial Cup LANGER DAN landed on Saturday, but the manner of that success was hard to ignore. He's clearly ahead of the game under a 5 lb penalty, and while his stamina for this far isn't copper-bottomed, he's worth siding with. Willie Mullins pair Gentleman de Mee and Galopin des Champs aren't thrown-in on what we've seen but they command serious respect.