Racecards
12:30 Cheltenham
Club 16-24 'help For Heroes' Ball 'nh' Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
- 16 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f
- Going: Good to Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £15,000 added
- Form 6-33
- Age 5
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 116
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey B J Geraghty
in touch, headway after 3 out, challenging and upsides when fell 2 out
- Form 152-U13
- Age 5
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 116
- Trainer A King
- Jockey Charlie Huxley
mid-division, headway on outer after 3 out, challenged 2 out, soon chasing leader, led well before last, ridden and stayed on well flat, comfortably
Picaroon
6- Form 186631
- Age 5
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 109
- Trainer Tim Vaughan
- Jockey R Johnson
led, hit 1st, ridden and strongly pressed 2 out, headed well before last, no extra flat
- Form 1613-24
- Age 5
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
took keen hold rear, hit 4th, headway after 2 out, driven to dispute 3rd before last, weakened tamely flat
- Form 61-689
- Age 6
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 112
- Trainer Miss H C Knight
- Jockey D Elsworth
chased leader, ridden before 2 out, weakened before last
- Form 408587
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer B G Powell
- Jockey S P Jones
always towards rear, ridden after 3 out, soon struggling
- Form 420-344
- Age 6
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer M Scudamore
- Jockey T Scudamore
mid-division on outside, ridden and struggling soon after 3 out
- Form P24P-52
- Age 9
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer J A B Old
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
hit 1st, always rear, driven and struggling 3 out
- Form 7232-87
- Age 6
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer P Henderson
- Jockey D F O'Regan
towards rear, hit 1st, hampered 2 out, weakened soon after
Alfloramoor
39- Form 4-35363
- Age 7
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer C T Pogson
- Jockey A Pogson
always rear, no chance when ridden and hampered 2 out
- Form 35/7F5-2
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 101
- Trainer A M Hales
- Jockey P C O'Neill
held up in rear, blundered 4th, some headway after 2 out, soon beaten
- Form FP2352
- Age 8
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Donal Fahy
chased leaders, ridden and outpaced approaching 2 out, stayed on again flat
- Form 7-53722
- Age 6
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer C W Thornton
- Jockey R Flint
in touch, not much room on inside and switched right soon after 2 out, staying on same pace when hit last, kept on flat
- Form 059-768
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer C E Longsdon
- Jockey G Lee
hit 1st, always rear, tailed off
- Form 890-F1
- Age 6
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey P J Brennan
in touch, mistake and hampered 2 out, chased leaders before last, went 2nd soon after last, one pace and no impression on winner flat
Max Bygraves
36- Form 07-3163
- Age 6
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 96
- Trainer K Bailey & M Nicholls
- Jockey J M Maguire
took keen hold early, chased leaders, ridden and outpaced after 2 out, headway before last, kept on well to press for 2nd near finish, no impression on winner
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
Three horses are officially well in at the weights with Havenstone, Picaroon and Halfway Cut due to race from 10, 5 and 6 pound higher marks in the future. There are also some unexposed runners from top yards and we'll nominate one of those in CALL ME A LEGEND. Of the three 'well-in' horses, Picaroon is the one that's feared most as he won very easily at Market Rasen and is completely unexposed for this yard; he drops back in trip but looks sure to go well particularly as this may not be quite as competitive as numbers suggest. Ring Ro Bee is also considered as a lightly raced, potential improver but the handicapper doesn't appear to have taken any chances so we're prepared to overlook him. The Longsdon yard has shown signs that it's turned the corner and Court Princess could be one to note on her handicap bow as she shaped quite nicely behind Clay Hollister at Sandown. There are two other handicap debutants that are sure to be popular and they are You're The Top and Call Me A Legend. Whilst it would be no great surprise to see Nicky Henderson's runner improve significantly on the form of his two hurdle starts there are sound reasons for siding with the Barbury Castle runner. She hasn't shone in two runs over obstacles either but she showed a smart level of form in bumpers that suggests she could be well handicapped. The yard had a winner with a similar profile on Boxing Day and Call Me A Legend is taken to open her account over hurdles.
Formwatch
You're The Top (FR) 8-1 (11-0) Mid-division, ridden and outpaced 3 out, hampered next, plugged on, never dangerous, 3rd of 9, 21l behind Karabak (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 1f nh nov hdl (2) gs in Dec.
Awesome George 15-8 (11-5) Chased leading pair, hit 3 out, soon ridden, mistake and outpaced, finished tired, 3rd of 5, 30l behind Martys Mission (10-12) at Folkestone 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) hvy in Dec.
Picaroon 5-4fav (11-3) Made all, driven clear last, eased towards finish easily, won at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs in Dec beating Snake Charmer (11-1) by 9l, 11 ran.
Call Me A Legend 5-2 (10-10) Held up in touch, headway to lead 6th, headed next, ridden and one pace from 2 out, 4th of 14, 11l behind Circus Rose (10-11) at Huntingdon 2m 4f mrs nov hdl (3) gs in Dec.
Project Gallery (IRE) 33-1 (11-0) Always towards rear, 9th of 16, 30l behind Midnight Sail (11-0) at Ascot 2m 6f nh mdn hdl (3) gs in Dec.
Santarctique (FR) 66-1 (10-11) Mid-division, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened, 7th of 11, 43l behind Suntini (10-1) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) sft in Dec.
Flow Gently Along (IRE) 6-1 (10-12) Not fluent 1st, held up, headway when hampered 3 out, soon ridden, weakening when not fluent last, 4th of 8, 11l behind Midnight Chase (11-5) at Leicester 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Dec.
Top Ram (IRE) 9-1 (11-10) Held up towards rear, not fluent 2nd, headway approaching 2 out, went 2nd flat, no chance with winner, 2nd of 16, 6l behind Sexy Rexy (11-11) at Warwick 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-100 (4) sft in Nov.
Tenor De Balme (FR) 16-1 (10-12) Always behind, tailed off, 7th of 10, well behind Gullible Gordon (11-7) at Taunton 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Dec.
Alfloramoor 66-1 (10-6) Held up in rear, good headway on outside after 4 out, ridden next, soon weakened, 3rd of 16, 38l behind Glenary (9-11) at Aintree 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-120 (3) hvy in Nov.
Halfway Cut 28-1 (10-12) Held up and keen, headway 3 out, ridden to lead approaching last, driven and headed, no extra close home, 2nd of 16, 1 1/2l behind Bedizen (11-2) at Wetherby 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Dec.
Havenstone (IRE) 14-1 (10-3) Held up, mid-division, headway 7th, led approaching 2 out, soon joined,outbattled and headed line, 2nd of 14, shd behind Six Day War (11-4) at Hereford 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) sft in Dec.
Smarties Party 15-8fav (10-10) Led, clear approaching 3 out, blundered badly, last soon header, not recovered, 2nd of 14, 2 1/2l behind Jenny Potts (10-7) at Wetherby 2m mrs nov hdl (4) gs in Nov.
Court Princess 100-1 (10-7) In rear, looked struggling after 3 out, soon made headway but never a danger, 8th of 14, 20l behind Clay Hollister (11-0) at Sandown 2m nh nov hdl (3) gs in Dec.
Ring Bo Ree (IRE) 8-11fav (10-8) Held up, smooth headway 3 out, ridden approaching last, ran on to lead close home, won at Hereford 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gd in Nov beating Abutilon (11-6) by 3/4l, 10 ran.
Max Bygraves 16-1 (11-8) Chased leaders, ridden approaching 2 out, bumped approaching last, kept on, 3rd of 18, 3l behind Kilmeena Magic (10-9) at Kempton 2m cnd nov hcp hdl (4) gd in Nov.