14:10 Cheltenham

Wednesday 15 March 2017

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

RSA Novices' Chase (Grade 1)

  • 5YO plus  |   Class 1  |   3m 80y  |   Good to Soft (Good in places)  |   12 Runners  |   Turf  |   Weighed In
  • Off time: 14:12  |   Winning time: 6m 8.7s
1st
Horse silk
7
7/2f
T: N J HendersonJ: N de Boinville
Led after 1st, jumped right 11th, drew clear before 3 out, about 12 lengths clear 2 out, mistake last, started idling and veered right 1f out, headed 120 yards out, rallied to lead post tchd 4/1
2nd
Horse silk
nse
11
911-4
9/2
T: N J HendersonJ: D N Russell
Held up towards rear, hit 5th, headway 15th, 2nd after 3 out, about 12 lengths down when not fluent 2 out, closed on winner who started idling 1f out, led 120 yards out, headed post op 11/2
3rd
Horse silk
10
4
5/1
T: W P MullinsJ: Ruby Walsh
Held up towards rear, hampered 3rd, headway 14th, 3rd 3 out, no impression before next, stayed on same pace op 7/1
4th
Horse silk
8
2
6/1
T: M F MorrisJ: B J Cooper
Tracked leaders, 2nd briefly 7th, 4th and outpaced after 3 out, well held next op 5/1
5th
Horse silk
30
8
14/1
T: N J HendersonJ: Aidan Coleman
Mid-division, hit 11th, in touch when 15th, 5th and outpaced after 3 out, soon weakened
6th
Horse silk
13
1
5/1
T: M S Sandra HughesJ: R Loughran
Led until after 1st, chased winner, not fluent 8th, lost 2nd 3 out, weakened before next op 6/1

Also Ran

PU
Horse silk
3
100/1
T: Miss R CurtisJ: Jonathan Moore
Rear of mid-division, carried right by loose horse and last from 6th, soon niggled along, behind 10th, pulled up before 4 out op 66/1
PU
Horse silk
5
40/1
T: H De BromheadJ: P T Enright
Held up in rear, hampered 3rd, never figured, well beaten when mistake 3 out, clambered over 2 out and pulled up op 33/1
UR
Horse silk
6
25/1
T: H De BromheadJ: D J Mullins
Tracked leaders, blundered badly and unseated rider 3rd op 20/1
PU
Horse silk
9
20/1
T: C E LongsdonJ: Sam Twiston-Davies
Held up in rear, not fluent 4th (water), ridden after 13th, hit next, soon behind, pulled up before 4 out op 14/1
PU
Horse silk
10
12/1
T: C L TizzardJ: P J Brennan
Tracked leaders, not fluent 3rd, dropped off front trio 7th, closed from 12th, losing place 14th, weakened after next, pulled up after 4 out op 11/1
PU
Horse silk
12
25/1
T: H D DalyJ: T J O'Brien
Mid-division, struggling from 12th, behind 13th, pulled up after 4 out tchd 33/1

Watch Race Replay

Unlimited race replays of all UK & Irish racing

Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee

Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£4.00Pl:£1.90, £1.90, £2.20EX:£15.40Trifecta:£109.80Tricast:£79.38SF:£18.49Swingers:£2.60, £5.70, £6.00

Forecasts

Might Bite (7/2), Whisper (9/2), Bellshill (5/1), Acapella Bourgeois (5/1), Alpha Des Obeaux (6/1), Royal Vacation (12/1), O O Seven (14/1), Our Kaempfer (20/1), Marinero (25/1), Briery Belle (25/1), Heron Heights (40/1), Aurillac (100/1)

Verdict

The Henderson team is a strong one here comprising a quarter of the field headed by likely race favourite Might Bite. There’s no doubt that he possesses the best form in the race but there is a slight question mark about his ability to act on an undulating track. He has won over hurdles here but he did disappoint on his chasing debut around this circuit and some doubts remain. It may well be that his stablemate Whisper can improve again over this longer trip and put his experience of winning over the fences here to good use. He’s clearly now coming to himself over fences and is a Grade 1-winning hurdler over 3m. Five Irish runners go to post and the most fancied will be the duo at the top of the card Acapella Bourgeois and ALPHA DES OBEAUX. The former was a runaway winner last time out when granted a very easy lead and he’ll find tactics like that harder to repeat here so it’s very much the latter who is fancied to take this prize back to Ireland. His experience of the Festival will stand him in good stead off a break and with his stable back in form he looks a leading contender. Willie Mullins has trained the winner of this race three times this century and runs Bellshill although he needs to bounce back to his best after a below par run last time out. Royal Vacation and O O Seven add some strength in depth to the home team and deserve their place in the line-up.
  1. Alpha Des Obeaux
  2. Whisper
  3. Might Bite

Prize Money

1st: £99,662.002nd: £37,398.003rd: £18,725.004th: £9,328.005th: £4,690.006th: £2,345.00

MOST READ RACING

Sporting Life
Race Replays
Unlimited race replays of all UK & Irish racing.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Click HERE for more information

RACING TIPS

Next Off

We are committed to Safer Gambling and have a number of self-help tools to help you manage your gambling. We also work with a number of independent charitable organisations who can offer help and answers any questions you may have.
Gamble Aware LogoGamble Helpline LogoGamstop LogoGordon Moody LogoSafer Gambling Standard LogoGamban Logo18+ LogoTake Time To Think Logo