Racecards
13:45 Cheltenham
Sharp Novices' Hurdle (Class A) (Grade 2)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good
Dawton (POL)
16- Form 011522
- Age 6
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
tracked leaders, not fluent 3rd, jumped slowly and lost place next, tailed off approaching 3 out
Marcel (FR)
20- Form 311111
- Age 4
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
in touch, headway 4th, challenged 3 out, led 2 out, kept on well
Nyrche (FR)
13- Form 322-111
- Age 4
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
held up in touch, headway 4th, hit 3 out, ridden and weakened after 2 out
- Form 30-11
- Age 4
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer P R Webber
- Jockey T Doyle
held up in rear, not fluent 3rd, pushed along 4th, ridden and outpaced after 3 out, not fluent 2 out, rallied approaching last, stayed on
- Form 1/1P-1
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
held up in rear, headway on outside after 4th, ridden 2 out, weakened approaching last
- Form 3125-2
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey C Llewellyn
tracked leader, mistake 2nd, led approaching 3 out, headed 2 out, stayed on same pace
- Form 235532
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
always behind, tailed off from 5th
Mister Flint
20- Form 452-11F
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
led until approaching 3 out, soon weakened, eased once beaten, tailed off
Raven's Last
14- Form 1/12-5
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer R Phillips
- Jockey W Marston
held up and behind, not fluent 1st, lost touch 3 out, tailed off
In depth
Verdict
Marcel faces his stiffest assignment to date but Martin Pipe's gelding has done nothing wrong since joining the stable and is taken to continue winning ways, with Mister Flint and Nyrche rated the main dangers. The selection has won all five starts since joining Martin Pipe's stable and has gradually stepped up in class, taking it all in his stride. Mister Flint was a second flight faller behind the selection at Kempton last time and has claims if that has not affected his confidence. Paul Webber's Shuhood is two from two this term and cannot be ruled out but this does represent a step up in class for the son of Kingmambo. Jonjo O'Neill's The Rising Moon is less exposed than most and is another worthy of a mention, especially with Tony McCoy in the plate, although a bigger threat may come from Nyrche. Having won twice in May, the four-year-old made a winning return at Wetherby last month and with Alan King's stable really hitting form now there is probably even more to come from the French bred. With the stable of Nigel Twiston-Davies continuing in such good heart Baby Run cannot be discounted but Marcel has done nothing wrong and gets the vote.