12:55 Cheltenham

Wednesday 1 January 2025

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Richmond Villages And Bupa Care Homes Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:56 | Winning time: 5m 18.06s

Beaufort Breeze⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Sean Houlihan| T: D J Jeffreys

250/1

Irish point winner but big prices and well beaten in 2 hurdles for current yard.

Form: PF-188

I'm Your Buckaroo

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Caoilin Quinn| T: G & J Moore

33/1

€14,000 4-y-o, Buck's Boum gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser (stayed 3m) Tweed Skirt out of useful 2m-2¼m hurdle winner Theatre Girl.

Form:

Kalhandrion²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: R Hobson| OR: 112

22/1

Has made a promising start over hurdles, fourth of 11 at Warwick 3 weeks ago (21f, soft, 100/1). Not given a hard time that day and should do better.

Form: 5-54

Ken Roy^p1¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 115| BF

14/1

Third in 2 bumpers and good start over hurdles this term, shaping best under aggressive ride when second at Plumpton a fortnight ago, headed late on. Cheekpieces go on and he's surely up to winning races.

Form: 33-42

Mount Gay Run²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Joe Anderson| T: Kieran Burke

25/1

Showed fair form in bumpers for Paul Nicholls and made an encouraging start over hurdles after a year off in listed contest at Sandown, despite hanging left on a first run right-handed. Up in trip and should improve.

Form: 45-3

Newton Tornado³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Ben Jones| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 110

9/2

£85,000 buy after winning an Irish point in May. Saw things out better on second start over hurdles when held in second at Doncaster (21f) 5 weeks ago. Room for improvement in his jumping and can progress.

Form: 132

Night Duty^p1²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Burke| T: F O'Brien| OR: 109

28/1

Point winner who is lightly raced for his age, running well on his handicap debut at Exeter (21.6f, heavy) 4 weeks ago. Cheekpieces go on now and he should be up to winning races.

Form: 13/553

Pierrot Jaguen³⁰⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy

15/8

Point winner in March who has fetched plenty both times he's gone through the ring (£200,000 latest). Half-brother to 2 winners, including French 17f-19f hurdles/chase winner Saint Pierrot. Respected for yard enjoying fine campaign.

Form: 1-

Diva Luna²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling| BF

5/4

Runner-up to promising one of Dan Skelton's on her only outing in points and she was 2-2 in bumpers, including a hot renewal of the Nickel Coin at Aintree. Made a highly encouraging debut over hurdles after 8 months off at Lingfield, doing little wrong despite defeat. Up in trip now. Good prospect.

Form: 211-2

Forecasts

Diva Luna (5/4), Pierrot Jaguen (15/8), Newton Tornado (9/2), Ken Roy (14/1), Kalhandrion (22/1), Mount Gay Run (25/1), Night Duty (28/1), I'm Your Buckaroo (33/1), Beaufort Breeze (250/1)

DIVA LUNA remains a good prospect for jumping despite meeting with defeat on her return at Lingfield and she can get off the mark in this sphere now stepped up in trip. Pierrot Jaguen is an interesting rival starting out for Olly Murphy, while Ken Roy looks up to winning races for Paul Nicholls.