Racecards
15:30 Cheltenham
Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle (Registered As The Hyde Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 2) (Class 1)
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
- Surface: Turf
- £21,500 added
- Winner: £12,244
- 2nd: £4,595
- 3rd: £2,300
- 4th: £1,146
- Form 1-1
- Age 5
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
tracked leaders, good jump to lead 4 out, blundered 2 out, driven between last 2, ridden and stayed on well flat
- Form 12-1111
- Age 5
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer C E Longsdon
- Jockey Felix de Giles
prominent on outside, driven and outpaced between last 2, soon lost place, no impression approaching last
- Form 12-6331
- Age 6
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer G T Lynch
- Jockey B J Geraghty
mid-division, chased leaders on inside 3 out, outpaced next, weakened before last
- Form F2/1-1
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
led, headed 4 out, outpaced before 2 out, soon lost place, no impression approaching last
- Form 35552-1
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey D C Costello
mid-division, headway to track leaders 3 out, chased winner between last 2, ridden and kept on flat, always held
- Form 827-11
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey P J Brennan
tracked leader, lost place 4 out, soon outpaced, no impression from next
- Form F-1
- Age 4
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
tracked leaders, lost place quickly after 4 out, soon behind, pulled up after 2 out
- Form R/525-13
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey Jack Doyle
held up in last pair, headway on outside when mistake 2 out, soon chased leaders, 4th and held when hit last, ridden and kept on flat, no impression
- Form 02-114
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer L Wadham
- Jockey R Thornton
chased leaders, reminders after 3rd, soon lost place, towards rear when not fluent 5th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
Polisky (FR)
219- Form 227-
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
held up in last pair, headway approaching 2 out, chased leading pair approaching last, ridden and kept on flat, no impression
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
This is hugely competitive for the time of year with only the mare Bevnott and four-year-old Polisky still seeking a first win over timber, though the latter did run well against the classy Sprinter Sacre at Ascot last season. Grandads Horse improves with every run, though this is a further step up from his latest success, while Sivola De Sivola has more on his plate than at Perth and Carlisle. Stratford winner Tour Des Champs looks a scopey sort, however, and African Broadway never looked in any danger on his hurdling bow at Chepstow and can go on to better things. But FINGAL BAY was even more impressive in a Grade 2 at that track last month and it will take a smart performance by one of his rivals to lower his colours here, though Letter of Credit could improve for the step up in distance.
Formwatch
Fingal Bay (IRE) 9-4fav (11-0) Tracked leaders, led 6th, strongly challenged 3 out, clear last, ran on strongly, won at Chepstow 2m 4f nov hdl G2 (1) gd in Oct beating Baile Anrai (11-0) by 6l, 12 ran.
Grandads Horse 11-10fav (11-5) Held up tracking leaders, led after 3 out, clear before next, easily, won at Stratford 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gf in Oct beating Chain Of Command (11-10) by 7l, 8 ran.
Letter Of Credit (IRE) 2-1 (11-12) Chased leaders, closed up approaching straight into 2nd, challenged and on terms last, soon led and drew clear, easily, won at Galway 2m mdn hdl hvy in Oct beating Ted Dolly (11-12) by 5l, 11 ran.
African Broadway (IRE) 5-6fav (10-12) Tracked leader, led 5th, came clear before 3 out, hit last, very easily, won at Chepstow 2m 4f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Oct beating Grand Vision (10-12) by 5l, 11 ran.
Barbatos (FR) 7-4fav (10-12) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 6th, mistake 3 out, led after next, went left last, driven out, won at Aintree 2m 4f NH nov hdl 4-6yo (4) gd in Oct beating Distime (10-12) by 1l, 9 ran.
Sivola De Sivola (FR) 11-10fav (11-5) Held up mid-division, headway before and mistake 3 out, challenged and about a length down when left in lead last, driven out run-in, eased towards finish, won at Carlisle 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) gs in Oct beating Bound For Glory (10-12) by 2l, 12 ran.
Tour Des Champs (FR) 7-2 (10-13) Chased leaders, went 2nd 3 out, led approaching 2 out where not fluent, edged right before last, stayed on well, won at Stratford 2m 6f mdn hdl (4) gd in Oct beating Golden Call (11-0) by 3 1/2l, 13 ran.
Well Regarded (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) Soon prominent, went 2nd after 5th until ridden 3 out, no extra flat, 3rd of 15, 9l behind Jump City (10-12) at Exeter 2m 1f nh nov hdl (3) gd.
Bevnott (IRE) 7-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, not fluent 5th, headway approaching 5th, ridden and weakened after 3 out, 4th of 13, 34l behind Tour Des Champs (10-13) at Stratford 2m 6f mdn hdl (4) gd in Oct.
Polisky (FR) 40-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, ridden and weakened before last, 7th of 13, 19l behind Topolski (11-4) at Aintree 2m nov hdl G2 (1) gd in Apr.