13:10 Cheltenham

Friday 11 November 2022

All13:1013:4514:2014:5515:3016:00

Markel Insurance Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:11 | Winning time: 5m 9.77s

Brazos^p⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: M J M O'Sullivan| T: J J Murphy| OR: 124

66/1

Useful 2m Flat winner but he ran poorly after 11 months off when seventeenth in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (19.8f) 6 months ago. Has something to prove.

Form: 13/32P0-

Ashington¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Tom Midgley| T: M Walford| OR: 124

28/1

Ran creditably returned to hurdling for his new yard when third of 8 in handicap at Wetherby (19.7f) 13 days ago. Merits consideration off a 2 lb lower mark.

Form: 841-P93

Hector Javilex^t³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: Lily Pinchin⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 123| D

13/2

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles who posted a good fifth of 6 in Persian War Novices' Hurdle (18/1) at Chepstow (19.4f) 35 days ago. Much respected on his handicap debut.

Form: 32611-5

Ballyadam Destiny^p,t¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-13| J: Daniel King⁽³⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 123

33/1

Bounced back to form with positive tactics readopted in 16-runner handicap hurdle at Galway (22f) 13 days ago, always holding on. Up 14 lb but this Irish raider can't be ruled out.

Form: 447001

Enki Flacke^p1²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Ewing⁽³⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 122

4/1

Showed improved form to defy a double penalty in 2m novice hurdle at Perth in July, well on top at the finish. Cheekpieces go on for his handicap debut and expected to be bang there off a handy-looking mark.

Form: 335-111

Hurricane Harvey^t¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Jack Hogan⁽⁶⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 121| D

16/1

Made a dislikeable return after 6 months off when pulled up in 3m handicap hurdle at Aintree 19 days ago. Tongue strap goes back on with plenty more needed.

Form: 5836-7P

Ellaat¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Philip Byrnes| T: N C Kelly| OR: 120

25/1

Arrives in good nick from the Flat, sixth of 18 in handicap at Galway (11.8f) 11 days ago. One to consider back in this sphere.

Form: 11321-9

Oscar Thyne⁵¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Liam Harrison⁽³⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 120

16/1

Winning hurdler/chaser for Gavin Cromwell but off for 17 months. Market can prove a good guide on his comeback run here.

Form: 6719/56-

Tide Times¹⁹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Daire James McConville⁽⁸⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 119

66/1

Dual 3m chase winner at Ludlow in March but he needs to hit the ground running back hurdling for his seasonal return.

Form: 34211-6

Alvaro⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: C P McNamara⁽³⁾| T: E McNamara| OR: 119

11/1

Ran creditably again despite a sketchy round of hurdling when second of 5 in novice hurdle at Killarney (22.8f) 40 days ago. This Irish raider can give another good account.

Form: 3P3242

Fine Casting²⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Luca Morgan⁽³⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 119| BF

4/1

Dual winner last winter but he wasn't seen out after below-par fourth of 7 in handicap hurdle at Warwick (16f) in February. Yard is going well so he can't be discounted though.

Form: 0/62114-

Nietzsche^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Emma Smith-Chaston| T: B Ellison| OR: 118| BF| C| D

16/1

Course winner but he was well held in Flat handicap at Newbury 20 days ago. Cheekpieces go back on with more required in this sphere.

Form: 424433-

Astigar^t1⁶⁰⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Fergus Gillard⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe| OR: 118WS

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden who has been off for 20 months since posting a good second in novice hurdle at Plumpton (20.5f). Tongue strap on for his handicap debut and the betting can prove a good indicator.

Form: 22P2/

Sweet Will³^{(ex 7)}

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Kieren Buckley| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 107| BF

8/1

Resumed winning ways in 16-runner handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (23.2f) 3 days ago, staying on well. Has more to offer so he's in the mix under a 7 lb penalty.

Form: 411-021

Hardy Boy¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁸⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 108| BF| D

13/2

Signed off last term with a win at Southwell in April but makde mistakes when only seventh of 16 at Worcester (20f) 15 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 75211-7

Dont Doubt Me^p1⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: J P O'Sullivan| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 103

28/1

Got off the mark after 12 weeks off in 11-runner handicap hurdle at Gowran (20f) 42 days ago. Hiked up 16 lb here so needs to take a big step forward in first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 56-4861

Harry D'alene¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: Finn Lambert⁽³⁾| T: D J Jeffreys| OR: 102

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden who came in last of 6 in handicap hurdle at Ascot (19.3f) 13 days ago. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 2226

Cheng Gong^b³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Philip Armson| T: N B King| OR: 102

80/1

Unreliable type who wasn't on a going day when pulled up in handicap hurdle at Lingfield (23f) 3 days ago. It's now thirteen runs since his last win in 2021.

Form: 23255-P

Non-Runners

Cluain Aodha¹⁶

Weight: 10-7| Age: 5

T: N B King J: Non Runner

Land Of My Delight³⁹

Weight: 10-2| Age: 6

T: D J Jeffreys J: Archie Bellamy

Forecasts

Fine Casting (4/1), Enki Flacke (4/1), Hector Javilex (13/2), Hardy Boy (13/2), Sweet Will (8/1), Astigar (9/1), Alvaro (11/1), Cluain Aodha (14/1), Oscar Thyne (16/1), Hurricane Harvey (16/1), Nietzsche (16/1), Ellaat (25/1), Land Of My Delight (25/1), Ashington (28/1), Dont Doubt Me (28/1), Ballyadam Destiny (33/1), Harry D'alene (40/1), Brazos (66/1), Tide Times (66/1), Cheng Gong (80/1)

Lots with chances but Gordon Elliott's ENKI FLACKE looks to have got in lightly for his handicap debut so is fancied to extend his winning sequence to four after completing a Perth hat-trick in the early summer. Ashington has made an encouraging start for Mark Walford and must enter calculations eased 2 lb in the weights here, while the returning Fine Casting and progressive Fairyhouse scorer Sweet Will are two more to consider.