17:20 Cheltenham

Wednesday 11 March 2026

All13:2014:0014:4015:2016:0016:4017:20

Weatherbys Champion Bumper (In Memory Of Sir Johnny Weatherby) (Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Off time: 17:21 | Winning time: 3m 47.94s

Bass Hunter⁸²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Freddie Gordon| T: C Gordon| D

8/1

Irish point winner who has made all on both bumper starts for Chris Gordon, latterly fending off the reopposing Tally Ho Back by a length in an Ascot listed race (good to soft) just before Christmas. While it won't be easy to dominate this he looks an exciting prospect.

Form: 3/P1-11

Boycetown^t1⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Keith Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell

22/1

Produced a promising first effort under Rules when second at Punchestown and easily went one better at Down Royal (soft) on Boxing Day. Tongue tied first time. Looks useful.

Form: 2-21

Broadway Ted³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: S Bowen| T: G Elliott| D

16/1

Well-bred Getaway gelding who is 2-2 in bumpers, latterly edging out reopposing stablemate With Nolimit in a Grade 2 at the Dublin Racing Festival. More to come.

Form: 11

Chicker¹¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: J J Burke| T: F O'Brien| CD

80/1

Promising Frontiersman gelding who won at Worcester and over C&D in the autumn. Lost his unbeaten record when 10½ lengths sixth of 13 to Saint Clovis in C&D listed event in November, weakening late as if the soft ground may have stretched him. Kept fresh for this since.

Form: 116

Diamant Dore^h1⁵⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: A Keatley| D

40/1

Held every chance when falling at the last in an Irish point in November. Bought for £125,000 after and created a very good impression when sprinting right way from 7 rivals in an Ayr bumper (heavy) in January. Has a hood added here.

Form: F1

It's Only A Game^t³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr J L Gleeson| T: M Brassil

18/1

Well-backed runner-up on debut at Punchestown last spring and travelled strongly/quickened clear to go one better in first-time tongue tie there (17f, soft) on return in November. Creditable 3½ lengths fourth of 7 to Broadway Ted in Leopardstown Grade 2 since. Trainer/jockey won this in 2023.

Form: 2-14

Keep Him Company⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| D

4/1

Won sole start in points and stretched his unbeaten record to 3 with wins in bumpers at Fairyhouse (soft) and Leopardstown (good to soft) at the end of 2025. The mount of Jack Kennedy from the Gordon Elliott runners. Should go well.

Form: 1-11

Love Sign D'aunou⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins

4/1

Won sole point last spring and made all with ease in a heavy-ground Naas bumper on his Rules debut in January. The mount of Patrick Mullins from the stable quintet. Gets the vote.

Form: 1-1

Of Land And Sea²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Richard Condon| T: P Hennessy| D

150/1

Crystal Ocean gelding who made it third time lucky in bumpers when seeing off 6 rivals at Limerick (heavy) last month but has lots to find on form here.

Form: 451

Tally Ho Back⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| BF

100/1

Left debut form well behind when length second to Bass Hunter in a listed event at Ascot in December, suited by the stamina. Underperformed in a steadily-run race at Windsor but this sort of test should see him to better effect.

Form: 426

The Irish Avatar⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: W P Mullins| D

14/1

Bought for £200,000 after finishing runner-up only outing in points and comfortably landed short odds in a Navan bumper (heavy) on Rules debut in January. Definitely more to come.

Form: 2-1

The Mourne Rambler⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Colin Keane| T: N Meade| D

15/2

Second in a point before making a winning start to his Rules career in a Leopardstown bumper (good) over Christmas. That was a useful performance and he's capable of even better with Colin Keane doing the steering.

Form: 21

The Skecher⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Tristan Durrell| T: D Skelton| D

125/1

Runner-up on second of 2 outings in Irish points and looked a good prospect in justifying strong market support in heavy-ground Ayr bumper at the end of January. Looks sure to go on to better things but Harry Skelton seems to prefer Mets Ta Ceinture.

Form: P-21

The Wager⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Miss J Townend| T: W P Mullins| D

40/1

Showed plenty when second of 6 on Punchestown debut last winter and returned to go one place better for new trainer Willie Mullins at Fairyhouse in January. The yard looks to have more obvious contenders elsewhere.

Form: 2-1

Vango Can Go⁸²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: C J Todd| T: D Skelton| D

100/1

£85,000 buy after finishing second in his sole point and went one place better in a Southwell bumper in November. Stayed on for 5 lengths third to Bass Hunter (Tally Ho Back second) in listed event at Ascot the following month. Off since.

Form: 2-13

Wilde's Legacy³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| D

66/1

Poet's Word gelding from very good Flat family who has won bumpers at Lingfield and Huntingdon (heavy) this winter. Useful effort when forging clear to defy a penalty at the latter and has earned a go at this, the stiffer test likely to suit.

Form: 11

With Nolimit³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr H C Swan| T: G Elliott| D

40/1

£250,000 purchase after winning sole start in points. Off the mark at the second time of asking in bumpers when making all at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day and left that form behind when short-head second to stablemate Broadway Ted in Grade 2 at Leopardstown since, rallying well.

Form: 1-412

Moonverrin³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr F Maguire| T: M Hassett| D

33/1

Well-bred mare who has made good progress, albeit she was fortunate to win a Grade 2 mares bumper at Leopardstown last month as the rider of the runner-up misjudged the winning post. She could do better again.

Form: 211

Our Trigger⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| D

28/1

Brother to smart hurdler/top-class chaser Gaelic Warrior and looked a good prospect when drawing clear to land odds of 2/5 on his Gowran bumper debut in January. Sure to improve.

Form: 1

Quiryn⁶¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| D

5/1

Sottsass gelding who scored by 9 lengths on his Naas debut (soft) in January. Another Willie Mullins winner in this line-up who has the potential for plenty of improvement.

Form: 1

Mets Ta Ceinture¹³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

14/1

Winner of 2 bumpers around 1½m in France, including a Grade 3 at Lyon Parilly. Also second in Grade 2 at Saint-Cloud in between. New connections went to a whopping €710,000 to acquire her in November. Goes without the tongue tie she wore in France. Interesting runner getting plenty of weight.

Form: 2

Non-Runners

Charismatic Kid³⁷

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: Sam Ewing

Forecasts

Love Sign D'aunou (4/1), Keep Him Company (4/1), Quiryn (5/1), The Mourne Rambler (15/2), Bass Hunter (8/1), Mets Ta Ceinture (14/1), The Irish Avatar (14/1), Broadway Ted (16/1), It's Only A Game (18/1), Charismatic Kid (20/1), Boycetown (22/1), Our Trigger (28/1), Moonverrin (33/1), Diamant Dore (40/1), The Wager (40/1), With Nolimit (40/1), Wilde's Legacy (66/1), Chicker (80/1), Vango Can Go (100/1), Tally Ho Back (100/1), The Skecher (125/1), Of Land And Sea (150/1)

Willie Mullins saddles five as he bids for a record-extending 15th success in this, with easy Naas winner LOVE SIGN D'AUNOU taken to come out on top under Patrick Mullins. Keep Him Company, the mount of Jack Kennedy from the Gordon Elliott quartet, is second choice ahead of Chris Gordon's listed scorer Bass Hunter and The Mourne Rambler. Quiryn, The Irish Avatar and Our Trigger are other Mullins runners who looked very promising when making winning bumper debuts.