15:30 Cheltenham

Saturday 12 November 2022

All12:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:3016:05

Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Intermediate Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:35 | Winning time: 5m 7.40s

Nickle Back⁴⁰⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Mrs S J Humphrey| OR: 134

9/1

Rubbished his 66/1 SP when chasing home a useful type in Southwell novice on hurdle debut in March and showed that was no fluke when bolting up at Fontwell 6 months later. Hard to argue his opening mark looks generous but there's more to come from him.

Form: F2/1-

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Getalead^t⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: David Prichard⁽⁵⁾| T: Claire Harris| OR: 129| D

12/1

Enhanced his very good strike-rate in handicaps when winning twice in quick succession in September. Likely this tough sort will give another good account but might be vulnerable to improvers in this deeper race.

Form: 432-F11

Elle Perfecta⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: Colm Murphy| OR: 127

7/1

Promising sort. who continued her progress when seeing off 14 rivals in a Listowel handicap in September. Running from a much higher mark now but she did it readily last time and likely has more to offer.

Form: 9/2-161

Bourbali³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard| OR: 126| D

16/1

Big improver last season, including completing a hat-trick from the front in the spring. Winning run came to a halt when down the field in Silver Trophy at Chepstow on reappearance 5 weeks ago but he might strip fitter for the run.

Form: 32111-9

Guernesey⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Jack Martin⁽⁷⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 123| BF

14/1

Largely consistent sort who deservedly got his head back in front at Warwick (19f, good) last month. 11/4, unseated early at Sandown on Sunday.

Form: 24-331U

Downtown Queen^t⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: C P McNamara| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 123

40/1

Won maiden and novice events in Ireland this summer. Slipped up with a circuit to go on her Listowel handicap debut in September. Stable's runners here always merit plenty of respect.

Form: 60-116S

Wild Hunt¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: D G Hogan| T: D Hogan| OR: 123

33/1

Ended last season on an upward curve. Also shaped well when fourth of 12 on his 3m Listowel reappearance but needs to bounce back from a lesser run at Galway since.

Form: 2112-40

Forever William¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 122

12/1

Won on Newbury hurdle debut last December and placed in Graded juvenile hurdles on his next outings. Made a respectable return to action when 13 lengths second in 2m Chepstow handicap 17 days ago. Significantly back up in trip now.

Form: 13302-2

Wiseguy³³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 119

5/2

Still looked a work in progress when winning a small-field maiden hurdle at Doncaster (3m) last December so his lack of experience is a slight concern on his return to action but he has the potential for a lot better.

Form: 1/31-

Unanswered^t¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: Peter Carberry| T: A J Martin| OR: 111

2/1

Successful 3 times on the Flat and in a big-field Punchestown handicap hurdle in a very good spell between April and July. Made an encouraging return from a 3-month break when fifth of 23 on the Flat at the Curragh 17 days ago and he's open to improvement back hurdling.

Form: 0000-1

Non-Runners

Mahons Glory²⁰

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: Dr R D P Newland J: Non Runner

Nocte Volatus²¹⁰

Weight: 11-2| Age: 7

T: T Lacey J: Non Runner

Time Flies By²⁴

Weight: 11-2| Age: 7

T: N J Henderson J: James Bowen

Alvaro¹

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: E McNamara J: J J Slevin

Forecasts

Unanswered (2/1), Wiseguy (5/2), Elle Perfecta (7/1), Time Flies By (8/1), Nickle Back (9/1), Mahons Glory (10/1), Forever William (12/1), Getalead (12/1), Guernesey (14/1), Bourbali (16/1), Nocte Volatus (20/1), Wild Hunt (33/1), Alvaro (33/1), Downtown Queen (40/1)

Tony Martin's UNANSWERED is very interesting at the foot of the weights back hurdling for the first time since his Punchestown win in May. This is a much better race than that one but his Flat form suggests his mark in this sphere could still be very workable. Fellow Irish raider Elle Perfecta won a competitive event in good style last time and is feared most ahead of Nicky Henderson's Wiseguy.