13:45 Cheltenham

Saturday 23 October 2021

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:15

NHS Vaccinating Heroes Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 3m 55.30s

Straw Fan Jack¹⁹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Sheila Lewis| OR: 132

8/1

Progressed nicely over hurdles before the turn of the year, defying a penalty by a wide margin at Aintree. Found Grade 1 all too much at that track in April and revised mark asks a big question.

Form: F12126-

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Samarrive¹⁸⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-11| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 132| D

5/2

Won 16-runner maiden at Angers on hurdling debut in December and looked a good prospect when following up in a novice at Kempton in April. Capable of leaving bare form well behind this term.

Form: 11-

Nordic Combined^t,v¹³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Fergus Gillard⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 127| D

20/1

Resumed winning ways at Hexham in May. One of his lesser races at Aintree the following month and he's pretty exposed for a race of this nature.

Form: 22-1726

Pasvolsky²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Jason Dixon| T: C Gordon| OR: 125| D

40/1

Displayed progressive form under Rules last season, gaining a third win in 2m novice at Kempton in March. No impact both starts in handicaps 6 months apart so clearly needs to raise his game.

Form: 11210-5

Ingleby Hollow^p,t⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: R Menzies| OR: 125| D

18/1

Successful twice on Flat either side of an unlucky fifth in Summer Handicap hurdle for David O'Meara. Has finished runner-up on both starts for this yard and mark is very fair.

Form: 63F-522

Small Bad Bob²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: P Henderson| OR: 122

14/1

Made most of a golden opportunity to get off mark in 5-runner novice at Newton Abbot (18.5f) in July. Better form when following up on handicap bow at Fontwell 3 weeks ago and limit not yet reached.

Form: 45-2211

Uncle Henry^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Jordan Gainford⁽³⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 122| D

15/2

Solid if unspectacular efforts in Irish handicap this autumn. Doesn't possess obvious scope for better but dangerous to rule out progress given yard he represents.

Form: 0-7FF34

Bashful Boy¹⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Jack Tudor| T: J & S Best| OR: 122

33/1

Fair Flat winner who has taken pretty well to hurdles, scoring again in 17.7f Fontwell handicap in March. Bit disappointing at Worcester in May and off since.

Form: 14413-5

Timberman^h¹³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Fergus Gregory| T: F O'Brien| OR: 118| BF

14/1

Promise for Nicky Henderson in 2019 and winner of 2 of 6 starts for new yard this year, both in novice company. Failed to meet market expectations on handicap bow in June but stable in excellent form.

Form: 4D16-14

Sarasota Star²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Ben Godfrey| T: M Keighley| OR: 117| D

17/2

Back-to-back handicap hurdle winner at Carlisle this time last year. Left opening chase run well behind when successful at Worcester and yard going through good patch currently.

Form: 02U-461

Samba Dancer¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: Liam Harrison⁽³⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 114

10/3

Cemented a positive start for his new stable when supplementing his maiden win at Uttoxeter back in a handicap at Stratford 19 days ago. 6 lb rise may be lenient.

Form: 5-35211

San Pedro¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-5| J: N F Houlihan| T: P Henderson| OR: 112

125/1

Useful winner at 7f on Flat. Second on Killarney hurdles debut in May but hasn't come close to that form since, including for this yard in both codes.

Form: 2P65

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 5p in the pound

Non-Runners

River Bray²⁰⁶

Weight: 11-7| Age: 8

T: V R A Dartnall J: Non Runner

Stormy Flight¹⁶⁸

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: J Scott J: Kieren Buckley

Blacko²⁰⁶

Weight: 11-3| Age: 5

T: Evan Williams J: Isabel Williams

Byzantine Empire¹⁰²

Weight: 10-8| Age: 4

T: F O'Brien J: Lily Pinchin

Forecasts

Samarrive (5/2), Samba Dancer (10/3), Uncle Henry (15/2), Straw Fan Jack (8/1), Sarasota Star (17/2), Byzantine Empire (10/1), Timberman (14/1), Small Bad Bob (14/1), River Bray (16/1), Stormy Flight (16/1), Blacko (16/1), Ingleby Hollow (18/1), Nordic Combined (20/1), Bashful Boy (33/1), Pasvolsky (40/1), San Pedro (125/1)

This lacks the strength in depth of some Cheltenham handicaps. SAMBA DANCER arrives firmly on the up for Fergal O'Brien, and with a good-value conditional taking off a valuable 3 lb, the hat-trick may well be on. If there's a runner with the scope to be much better than their mark it's Samarrive, with Byzantine Empire, a stablemate of the selection, also of interest.