16:05 Cheltenham

Friday 17 November 2023

All13:1013:4514:2014:5515:3016:05

Valda Energy Novices' Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 4m 7.12s

Impose Toi¹⁸⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 121| D

2/1

Dual French bumper scorer who made it 2-4 over hurdles for this yard when easily seeing off 3 rivals in a 21f Ludlow novice in May. Lightly-raced sort who can be expected to go on to better things in handicaps.

Form: 11/212-1

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Caithness²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 120| D

5/1

Comfortable all-the-way of maiden/handicap hurdles over 2m at Kelso (good to firm/heavy) this autumn. Hit with an 8 lb rise but there's more to come and he should remain very competitive.

Form: 344-11

Barometer³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Daniel King⁽³⁾| T: J J Murphy| OR: 120| D

28/1

Fair Flat winner. Has translated that ability to hurdles (runner-up in 2m Punchestown maiden last month) but he will need more if he's to defy this mark now venturing into handicap company for the first time in this sphere.

Form: 4F6-2

Sequoiaspirit⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: J B Foley⁽³⁾| T: R Hackett| OR: 119

14/1

Dual Flat winner in May and arrives on the back of 3 creditable efforts in handicap hurdles in Ireland. Should be in the mix again but might be vulnerable to progressive types.

Form: 22-2235

Downtherefordancin^p1³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 114

14/1

Improved effort over hurdles when second of 22 in 2½m Punchestown handicap last month. Has first-time cheekpieces added now. Stable's British runners always merit respect.

Form: 005-402

Mr Mackay²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 113

22/1

In-the-frame on 3 of his 4 starts in bumpers and confirmed reappearance/hurdle debut promise when landing 6-runner Huntingdon maiden (19.5f) last month. Found a useful C&D conditions races too hot to handle since but handicaps provide him with more of a chance.

Form: 435-315

Tintintin²⁰⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 112| BF| DWS

14/1

Left clear when making winning hurdles debut at Ffos Las last autumn and better form when runner-up on all 3 subsequent starts last season. Looks on a competitive mark for his handicap debut/reappearance and his stable has tasted success in this race before. Has had wind surgery.

Form: 1222-

Showman¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-3| J: Eamonn Fitzgerald⁽⁷⁾| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 112| D

14/1

Improved to win a 2m Roscommon maiden hurdle in September and even better form when narrowly denied in a Cork handicap (2m again) since. Another for the shortlist.

Form: R7-412

Donnacha^h³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: David Noonan| T: N J Hawke| OR: 112| D

12/1

Placed both starts in bumpers and going the right way over hurdles, making it third time lucky when just holding on from the reopposing Artistic Endeavour in 2m Chepstow novice on reappearance last month. Handicap debut.

Form: 3343-1

Brook Bay^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 110

10/1

Expensive purchase after comfortably winning sole outing in Irish points. Proved to be a disappointment in a Kempton bumper in February but has shaped encouragingly in maiden/novice hurdles this autumn. Very interesting now making a quick switch to handicaps.

Form: 19-23

Artistic Endeavour³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 109

18/1

Plenty of promise when suffering narrow defeats in a Plumpton maiden (2m, good to firm) in May and to the reopposing Donnacha in a Chepstow novice (2m, soft) on return 5 weeks ago. Appeals as one who can go on to better things in handicaps.

Form: 5-22

Belgoprince^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 108

7/1

Runner-up in a competitive 2m handicap hurdle at the 2021 Leopardstown Christmas meeting. Missed all of 2022 but has been successful twice on the Flat since returning to action this year. Interesting to see how much strength there is behind him in the betting now back hurdling.

Form: 339092/

Mac's Xpress²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: J G Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 107

33/1

Fair hurdler who has been placed in 2 Listowel handicaps and a Gowran maiden this autumn. Yet another who can't be discounted.

Form: 0F5332

En Avant^t⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 106| D

33/1

Improved when winning a Worcester maiden and Fontwell novice on first 2 outings for Olly Murphy but found out in a handicap back at Worcester last time. Others are more obvious.

Form: 54-U118

Kitsilano⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Ricky Doyle| T: J J Murphy| OR: 105

28/1

Modest form over hurdles and fences in Ireland, including midfield in a couple of handicaps in September. Improvement will be needed.

Form: 05-7577

Warm In Gorey^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: C Gethings| T: P J Rothwell| OR: 104

50/1

Fair hurdler who landed handicaps at Downpatrick in April and Punchestown in June. Creditable third in a Thurles maiden on his recent chase debut. Others look better treated back hurdling but his stable did win this in 2021.

Form: 212903

Redbridge Rambler^p1¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Adam Wedge| T: M Keighley| OR: 103

28/1

Creditable second of 7 in handicap hurdle at Huntingdon (2m, good to soft, 6/1) 18 days ago but will need to improve for the addition of cheekpieces if he's to go one better in this much deeper race.

Form: 2-34662

Non-Runners

Innatendue¹¹⁶

Weight: 12-0| Age: 5

T: J C McConnell J: Danny Gilligan

Forecasts

Impose Toi (2/1), Caithness (5/1), Belgoprince (7/1), Brook Bay (10/1), Donnacha (12/1), Downtherefordancin (14/1), Tintintin (14/1), Showman (14/1), Sequoiaspirit (14/1), Artistic Endeavour (18/1), Innatendue (20/1), Mr Mackay (22/1), Kitsilano (28/1), Redbridge Rambler (28/1), Barometer (28/1), Mac's Xpress (33/1), En Avant (33/1), Warm In Gorey (50/1)

A cracking handicap to conclude. An opening mark of 110 could underestimate BROOK BAY so he's the suggestion with improvement on the cards. Fellow unexposed sorts Caithness, Artistic Endeavour and Tintintin are likely threats, while Showman may prove best of the Irish contingent.