20:17 Cheltenham

Friday 5 May 2023

All16:5017:2518:0018:3519:1019:4520:17

Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 20:20 | Winning time: 5m 20.90s

Fix At All³²

Age: 7| Weight: 12-4| J: Mr J J Murphy-Knight⁽⁷⁾| T: M Scudamore| OR: 123

5/1

Useful chaser. Career best when winning 5-runner hunter chase at Ludlow (20f, good to soft, 11/8) 32 days ago, forging clear. Not taken lightly.

Form: 335P11-

Not That Fuisse²²

Age: 10| Weight: 12-4| J: Miss Heidi Palin⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 130

11/4

Useful chaser who scored at Wetherby on return and has performed at least respectably since. Seventh of 27 in the Foxhunters' at Aintree last time and should give another good account.

Form: 11/4127-

Solomon Grey^t⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 12-4| J: Mr D Andrews⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Collins| OR: 125| CD

11/2

Fairly useful chaser nowadays. Hasn't been at the top of his game of late and is likely to find at least one too good in this competitive affair.

Form: 31/1562-

Dogon^p¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 12-1| J: Mr Charlie Marshall⁽⁷⁾| T: Simon Cross| OR: 109

100/1

Irresolute sort in his time under Rules and has yet to win a point, so hard to see him featuring.

Form: 455PP3-

Magic Saint^p,t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 12-1| J: Miss Olive Nicholls⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 134| C

11/8

Completed a rather straightforward task in ready fashion at Wincanton in March then seemed to find his stamina stretched at Aintree last time. Looks the class act in this field and should take the beating.

Form: 46/4210-

Count Simon¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Daniel Kyne⁽⁷⁾| T: R Varnham| OR: 110| D

40/1

One-time useful hurdler in Ireland who disappointed when failing to beat a rival in a hunter at Newbury in March. Has won a point since but others make more appeal.

Form: 721711-

Dickie Diver¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Murray Dodd⁽⁷⁾| T: J Whyte| OR: 117

66/1

Useful novice hurdler for Nicky Henderson in 2019 but lightly raced since and little encouragement in a point before finishing a remote third of 5 in a hunter at Fakenham last month.

Form: 8/PPP35-

Funky Sensation^t⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Jake Bament⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs Helen Bament| OR: 85

50/1

Winner between the flags but added to an uninspiring Rules record when only sixth in a hunter at Exeter recently. Likely to struggle again.

Form: 71/4461-

Oistrakh Le Noir²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Zac Baker| T: Ed Partridge| OR: 112

28/1

Fairly useful hurdler at one point and, while he hasn't been seen under Rules for two years, he arrives on the back of a solid effort when second between the flags. Not a forlorn hope.

Form: F1/FU22-

Paloma Blue^p¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Joshua Newman| T: J Newman| OR: 141

9/1

Useful form over fences and has done well in points since last seen under Rules, so merits plenty of respect.

Form: 212111-

St Barts^t1²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Edward Rees⁽⁷⁾| T: E M Rees| OR: 122

66/1

Lost his way under Rules and, while he's won a point for his current yard since, he was a well-beaten second in that sphere last time. Others make more appeal.

Form: 98P322-

What A Moment²⁷

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss Lucinda Ticehurst⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda Ticehurst| OR: 106| C

100/1

Fair chaser at best for David Pipe. Maiden pointer, third last time (Apr 8). Advancing in years and hard to imagine he'll feature.

Form: 44/4943-

Non-Runners

Ballotin¹³

Weight: 11-12| Age: 12

T: A Ward-Thomas J: Mr Martin McIntyre

Forecasts

Magic Saint (11/8), Not That Fuisse (11/4), Fix At All (5/1), Solomon Grey (11/2), Paloma Blue (9/1), Oistrakh Le Noir (28/1), Ballotin (33/1), Count Simon (40/1), Funky Sensation (50/1), Dickie Diver (66/1), St Barts (66/1), What A Moment (100/1), Dogon (100/1)

MAGIC SAINT is best not judged on his latest effort at Aintree and he'd previously been quite impressive at Wincanton, so he's worth a chance to resume winning ways. Paloma Blue and Not That Fuisse could pose the main threats.