14:50 Cheltenham

Friday 17 March 2017

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

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Spa Novices' Hurdle)

Off time: 14:51 | Winning time: 5m 49.50s

1^st

Penhill

611-5

16/1

T: W P MullinsJ: Paul Townend

Held up behind, headway on outside after 3 out, carried right next, switched inside to lead approaching last, ridden clear flat, ran on well

2^nd

3 ½

Monalee

611-5

8/1

T: H De BromheadJ: D J Mullins

Tracked leaders, switched inside approaching 2 out, led between last 2, ridden and headed approaching last, kept on same pace, no impression with winner flat tchd 7/1 in places

3^rd

Wholestone

611-5

13/2

T: N & W Twiston-DaviesJ: D A Jacob

Mid-division, tracked leaders after 3 out, challenged next, every chance between last 2, one pace in 3rd when switched left before last, no impression with front pair after op 7/1

4^th

Constantine Bay

611-5

12/1

T: N J HendersonJ: N de Boinville

Mid-division, headway on outside after 3 out, close up when badly hampered and lost place next, soon under pressure, ridden and stayed on to take modest 4th flat, unable to challenge op 16/1

5^th

Ami Desbois

711-5

33/1

T: D Killahena & G McPhersonJ: Kielan Woods

Led, hard pressed 2 out, ridden and headed between last 2, soon lost place, well held before last, lost modest 4th flat op 25/1

6^th

Augusta Kate

610-12

11/2

T: W P MullinsJ: Ruby Walsh

Held up behind, blundered 8th, struggling before 2 out, ridden and stayed on under pressure from last, never nearer op 6/1

7^th

Elegant Escape

511-5

100/1

T: C L TizzardJ: T Scudamore

Prominent, pressed leader from 6th, driven and lost place after 2 out, ridden and weakened before last tchd 80/1

8^th

Tommy Rapper

611-5

33/1

T: D SkeltonJ: Harry Skelton

Behind, blundered 4th, outpaced 2 out, never on terms, well held when hampered last

9^th

Step Back

711-5

100/1

T: M BradstockJ: J E Moore

Pressed leader to 6th, close up, lost place when hampered 2 out, weakened before last

10^th

C'Est Jersey

511-5

100/1

T: W P MullinsJ: R M Power

Towards rear, headway 3 out, ridden to chase leaders after next, never on terms, weakened before last

11^th

Baden

611-5

100/1

T: N J HendersonJ: J McGrath

Mid-division, outpaced 2 out, never on terms, ridden and weakened before last, tailed off

Also Ran

Any Drama

611-5

25/1

T: H FryJ: N D Fehily

Tracked leaders, lost place 2 out, soon weakened, behind, when pulled up before last tchd 22/1

Death Duty

611-5

13/8f

T: G ElliottJ: B J Cooper

Mid-division, steady headway after 3 out, tracked leaders on inside when carried left and hampered approaching next, ridden between last 2, soon no impression, 6th and beaten when blundered and unseated rider last tchd 7/4 in places and 15/8 in a place

The Worlds End

611-5

10/1

T: T R GeorgeJ: Adrian Heskin

Held up towards rear, headway after 3 out, with leaders and every chance when fell next op 9/1 tchd 17/2

Turcagua

711-5

66/1

T: W P MullinsJ: Danny Mullins

Mid-division, mistake 7th, lost place next, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out

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Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£17.00Pl:£4.00, £2.50, £2.20EX:£151.90Trifecta:£909.80Tricast:£920.30SF:£128.09Swingers:£17.60, £15.10, £8.60

Forecasts

Death Duty (13/8), Augusta Kate (11/2), Wholestone (13/2), Monalee (8/1), The Worlds End (10/1), Constantine Bay (12/1), Penhill (16/1), Any Drama (25/1), Ami Desbois (33/1), Tommy Rapper (33/1), Turcagua (66/1), Elegant Escape (100/1), Step Back (100/1), C'Est Jersey (100/1), Baden (100/1)

Death Duty is likely to be popular given the week his trainer has been enjoying so far. There aren't many holes in his form but a question mark does linger over how he'll react on what is set to quicker ground. Augusta Kate was matching him stride for stride when she departed at the final flight in a Grade 1 novice contest at Naas last time out. With Ruby Walsh in blistering form yesterday, the only mare in the line-up shouldn't be discounted and she is proven on quicker ground. While that pair provide a strong Irish challenge, this may go to the home team with WHOLESTONE. Trained locally, he relishes this track and has three wins and a second from four visits, including two over C&D. There could well be more to come from him, though his form up to now gives him leading claims. Monalee and Constantine Bay may be best of the rest for what is sure to be a searching test.

Wholestone
Augusta Kate
Death Duty

Prize Money

1st: £71,475.002nd: £27,088.003rd: £13,450.004th: £6,150.005th: £3,088.006th: £1,850.00