Racecards
13:15 Cheltenham
Quintessentially Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 2m 62y
- Going: Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £40,000 added
- Winner: £20,812
- 2nd: £9,568
- 3rd: £4,784
- 4th: £2,392
- Form 51F5-66
- Age 8
- Weight 12-0
- Official Rating 150
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey Charlie Deutsch
in touch, headway 6 out, tracked leaders next, ridden and every chance 3 out, stayed on one pace
- Form 4121F-2
- Age 7
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 143
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Harry Skelton
led, headed 2nd, led again 6 out, ridden and joined 2 out, headed approaching next, weakened flat
- Form 103-035
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 142
- Trainer C Gordon
- Jockey Rex Dingle
tracked leaders, lost place 7th, pushed along next, struggling 4 out, pulled up next
- Form 2211P-P
- Age 10
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 133
- Trainer B Ellison
- Jockey Henry Brooke
in rear, not fluent 5th, reminders next, struggling 8th, pulled up 4 out
- Form 817-774
- Age 8
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 132
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey Jonjo O'Neill Jr.
led 2nd, headed 6 out, prominent, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out
- Form 3/1P32-3
- Age 5
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 132
towards rear, headway when mistake 4 out, not fluent next, every chance 2 out, disputed lead next, stayed on one pace
- Form 1F-82U6
- Age 4
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer Mrs S Leech
- Jockey H Cobden
close up, headway and every chance 2 out, disputed lead next, led flat, ridden and fan on
In depth
Verdict
Baron De Midleton won three times last season but has been pulled up the last twice. Funambule Sivola hasn’t been firing either and is held by Aucunrisque on the form book but CALICO (NAP) made a very promising reappearance when runner-up behind the race-fit Triple Trade on the Old Course here and should again beat fourth Prince Escalus and sixth Madara. In Excelsis Deo is only a five-year-old so did well to finish third here in October and he’s closely matched with the selection on collateral form.
Formwatch
Funambule Sivola (FR) 9-1 (11-12) Tracked leader until 8th, close up, ridden and weakened 2 out, 6th of 8, 15l behind Boothill (12-0) at Ascot 2m 1f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Calico (GER) 6-1 (11-13) Slight lead until before 3rd, pressed leader, in front again 9th, over 2 lengths ahead when hit last, driven and stayed on run-in, headed towards finish, 2nd of 11, 3/4l behind Triple Trade (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (2) gs in Nov.
Aucunrisque (FR) 5-1 (11-3) Close up, dropped to rear 8th, ridden 2 out, kept on flat, 5th of 8, 9 1/2l behind Boothill (12-0) at Ascot 2m 1f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Baron De Midleton (IRE) 25-1 (11-3) Tracked leader, led 6th, headed 4 out, weakened 2 out, pulled up approaching next, at Carlisle 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Nov.
Prince Escalus (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Chased leaders on inside, pushed along before 2 out, soon weakened into 4th, 4th of 11, 4 3/4l behind Triple Trade (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (2) gs in Nov.
In Excelsis Deo (FR) 6-1 (10-7) Wore hood to post, off the pace towards rear, headway chasing leaders and kept on run-in, went never nearer 3rd towards finish, 3rd of 11, 2 1/2l behind Dancing On My Own (11-13) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Madara (FR) 16-1 (10-12) Chased leaders on inside, went 2nd before 10th, pushed along lost 2nd before 2 out, weakened and pecked last, 6th of 11, 6 1/2l behind Triple Trade (11-4) at Cheltenham 2m hcp (2) gs in Nov.