Racecards
16:15 Cheltenham
Endsleigh Insurance Novices' Handicap Chase (Class D)
- 15 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f
- Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
- Form 121326
- Age 7
- Weight 11-12
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey S Durack
prominent, mistake 1st and 8th, led next, mistake 11th, headed 12th, every chance 3 out, not much room bend approaching 2 out, soon beaten
- Form 153215
- Age 6
- Weight 11-6
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
led 3rd, headed 9th, ridden approaching 2 out, kept on
Saffron Sun
21- Form 3-60P12
- Age 8
- Weight 11-6
in touch, headway to lead 12th, jumped right 4 out, headed after next, no extra approaching last
Benson (IRE)
25- Form 1530F1
- Age 8
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer H D Daly
- Jockey M Bradburne
held up in touch, ridden after 4th, weakening when blundered 11th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
Power Unit
38- Form 4-35144
- Age 8
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer Mrs D Hamer
- Jockey L P Aspell
held up, headway 11th, weakened 13th, tailed off
Johnlegood
29- Form FR5252
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey P Hide
in touch, not fluent 11th, ridden 3 out, weakening when mistake next
Banjo Hill
25- Form 332551
- Age 9
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey A P McCoy
prominent, led after 3 out, hard ridden and edged right flat, all out
Count Oski
23- Form 0FF541
- Age 7
- Weight 10-10
prominent until 7th, hit 10th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
Rufius (IRE)
48- Form 24216P
- Age 10
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer P Kelsall
- Jockey C Llewellyn
held up, mistake 5th, never dangerous
- Form 24P223
- Age 9
- Weight 10-8
- Trainer J King
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
led to 3rd, prominent, ridden and every chance 3 out, weakened after next
- Form 45-425F
- Age 6
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer Mrs H Dalton
- Jockey R Thornton
prominent, not fluent 5th, lost place 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
- Form 4U3013
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer Mrs M Reveley
- Jockey A Dempsey
held up, brief effort 4 out, never dangerous
- Form P043F4
- Age 9
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer R Price
- Jockey A O'keeffe
held up towards rear, mistake 4th, always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
Diamond Hall
51- Form 505030
- Age 10
- Weight 10-0
- Trainer R Tudor
- Jockey James Davies
in touch, ridden and headway 3 out, one pace approaching last
In depth
Verdict
The 4:15 has the makings of a close affair, with 16 runners set to face the starter. Emma Lavelle has had a good season and Banjo Hill can run well at a big price. He came good at Huntingdon last time after the favourite Shannon Hill had departed at the first, but whose to say that he would not have won anyway. He comes good at this time of the year and is fancied to reach the frame at least. Benson also won last time out, when battling home at Warwick-he likes fast ground but is not always foot-perfect. Dantie Boy has topweight to overcome and will do well to get the better of the likes of Umbrella Man and Saffron Son in addition to those mentioned earlier. Umbrella Man is starting to settle better than in the past, and showed when second at Ludlow two weeks ago that he can handle a faster surface. Saffron Sun comes from the yard of Jimmy Frost who has quickly adapted to his new role, with a steady stream of winners. The eight-year-old let his supporters down at Exeter last time when only second. He is something of a standing dish at the West-Country track and can normally be relied upon to come good at this time of the year. In a hard one to call, an each-way stake on Banjo Hill may pay dividends.