Racecards
13:10 Cheltenham
Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier) (Class B )
- 17 Runners
- Distance: 3m
- Going: Good
Korelo (FR)
230- Form 6P0031-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 143
held up, headway approaching 3 out, lost place 2 out, stayed on approaching last
- Form 50-F045
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer T J Taaffe
- Jockey B J Geraghty
in touch, chased winner 2 out, soon ridden, lost 2nd near finish
- Form 03-1431
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 136
held up, mistake 5th, headway approaching 2 out, weakened well before last
- Form 43F-111
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer L Wadham
- Jockey L P Aspell
in touch, ridden and not fluent 2 out, stayed on same pace
- Form 0F2/U36
- Age 9
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey James Davies
in touch until 3 out
- Form 14030-2
- Age 4
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey T J Malone
sharply away, made all, soon well clear, unchallenged
- Form 5144-32
- Age 5
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
mid-division, headway 2 out, stayed on, never dangerous
Covent Garden
370- Form 11111/3-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey A Dobbin
in touch, headway 3 out, no extra flat
- Form 212-223
- Age 5
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer Noel T Chance
- Jockey S Durack
chased clear winner, ridden and lost 2nd 2 out, weakened approaching last
- Form 3/1-1
- Age 6
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
mid-division, headway after 7th, weakened 2 out
- Form 532-11F
- Age 6
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer R H Buckler
- Jockey B Hitchcott
held up, weakened before 3 out
Roveretto
37- Form 4226P5
- Age 9
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey Mr A Glassonbury
not always fluent, always behind
- Form 45F4-00
- Age 11
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
held up in rear, ridden 9th, soon no danger
- Form 621211
- Age 4
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 128
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
held up in touch, ridden approaching 2 out, weakened approaching last
- Form 660U1-0
- Age 5
- Weight 10-1
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer H S Howe
- Jockey D Gallagher
took keen hold in rear, always behind
- Form 1F34-3F
- Age 5
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer J A B Old
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
held up in rear, headway 2 out, soon ridden, stayed on to go 2nd near finish, no chance with winner
In depth
Verdict
A number of these can be expected to at least win a race before the end of the season and the likes of Emotional Moment, Red Ruffles and Hautclan can be placed to good effect in due course. However, with seven of the seventeen entries coming from the Martin Pipe yard, it is safe to assume the champion trainer has a very good handle on the race, with Team Tassel looking the pick and getting our vote. The selection has won both his previous starts with a fair amount of style - brushing aside challenges from the likes of The Dark Lord and Red Ruffles, who both re-oppose on better terms this afternoon. However, even at the risk of pointing out the understatement of the year, Pipe has a knack of producing horses that are open to acres of improvement and we fancy that Team Tassel has the class to cope with the reversal at the weights today. The Dark Lord, who himself has matured in leaps and bounds since being put in his place by the selection in February, poses a significant threat here. However, like many of the rest, he lacks the scope held by our hope and may have to settle for second best today. A handful of the rest are also worth a mention for future reference, including: Covent Garden, who has plenty of ability but makes his first start for just over a year and is probably best watched. Rosemauve and Penny Pictures arrive here on the back of convincing performances and are entitled to plenty of respect in their own right. Nevertheless, it is their stablemate Team Tassel that creates the best impression on paper and he looks the best bet out of the Pipe sextet and the rest.