17:25 Cheltenham

Friday 22 October 2021

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Foundation Developments Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 17:26 | Winning time: 3m 54.3s

Adjournment²⁰⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Henry Brooke| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

66/1

€42,000 3-y-o, £45,000 5-y-o, Court Cave gelding. Dam (h87), maiden hurdler (stayed 2½m). Runner-up both starts in points a year apart, latest in March. Worth a market check on hurdle debut.

Form: 2/2-

Ballybreeze²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Adam Wedge| T: S Drinkwater

28/1

Looked set to win when falling 2 out in sole point. Has shown clear ability in a bumper/maiden hurdle 11 months apart but is likely to be brought along steadily.

Form: F/6-5

Brorson²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: M Keighley

4/1

Placed in Irish points and finished runner-up in a pair of Southwell bumpers in the spring. Supported and showed an aptitude for hurdling when third at Bangor (16.7f) last month. Should improve.

Form: F262-23

Cardano^p²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: T Scudamore| T: Ian Williams

15/2

Useful Flat performer who has been in excellent form lately, so is very much one to note now going hurdling.

Form:

Cirque Royal^t1²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Mr N McParlan⁽³⁾| T: Gerald Quinn

5/1

Useful on Flat and left hurdling debut form behind when second of 15 in 2m maiden at Gowran 3 weeks ago, keeping on after every chance last. Open to further improvement in first-time tongue tie.

Form: 22

Jetoile^h1³⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: D A Jacob| T: R Potter

80/1

€72,000 3-y-o, Jeremy gelding with a decent pedigree but placed just once in 4 Irish points. Wears a hood.

Form: 55/3F-

Mr Jorrocks

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Reed| T: M Hawker

250/1

Scorpion gelding. Dam (c98), 2½m chase winner (stayed 3m), half-sister to fairly useful hurdler (stayed 3m) Jonanaud. Yard not associated with first-time-out winners, so looks best watched on debut.

Form:

Stratton Oakmont²⁰⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: K Woollacott

100/1

Showed fair form when reaching the frame first 3 bumper outings. Below par at Warwick on final outing and faces a stiff task on hurdle debut.

Form: 3438-

Top Bandit¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott

15/8

Fairly useful bumper winner who made an encouraging enough start over hurdles when third at Limerick (2m) 12 days ago, travelling smoothly. Should do better.

Form: 2224-13

Wild Shot^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Brian Hayes| T: J C McConnell| OR: 115

16/1

Fair on Flat, successful twice this year, and easily best effort over hurdles when beaten only narrowly at Clonmel (16.7f) in September. Ran poorly at Downpatrick 2 weeks ago but can bounce back.

Form: 4-3327

John Locke¹⁹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Skelton| T: D SkeltonWS

7/2

Useful on Flat and, having been acquired for 75,000 gns, shaped with abundant promise when fourth in the Adonis at Kempton (2m). Bled in Grade 1 at Aintree next time but retains plenty of potential.

Form: 44-

Non-Runners

Go Dante²²⁵

Weight: 11-2| Age: 5

T: O Murphy J: Aidan Coleman

Lebowski²¹⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: M Scudamore J: Brendan Powell

Mister Watson¹⁶⁷

Weight: 11-2| Age: 7

T: B Pauling J: Luca Morgan

Forecasts

Top Bandit (15/8), John Locke (7/2), Brorson (4/1), Cirque Royal (5/1), Cardano (15/2), Go Dante (15/2), Mister Watson (12/1), Wild Shot (16/1), Lebowski (20/1), Ballybreeze (28/1), Adjournment (66/1), Jetoile (80/1), Stratton Oakmont (100/1), Mr Jorrocks (250/1)

GO DANTE looked a smart prospect when winning his sole bumper start in a good time at Wincanton in March, so he's very much of interest now going hurdling. John Locke has undergone wind surgery since contesting hot races on both his hurdle starts last season, so he retains potential, while Wild Shot is expected to bounce back from a poor run at Downpatrick a fortnight ago.