Racecards
14:55 Cheltenham
Q. Equine Handicap Chase (Class 2)
- 17 Runners
- Distance: 3m 1f 110y
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- Form P311PP
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
held up rear, weakened 12th
- Form 0-1P7F7
- Age 10
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 137
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
held up, some headway 14th, ridden and weakened 3 out
- Form 501486
- Age 11
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey A Thornton
tracked leaders, ridden to lead and pecked 3 out, headed soon after and weakened
- Form 11/33P6
- Age 10
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 135
- Trainer A King
- Jockey R Thornton
tracked leaders and jumped right throughout, kept on one pace
- Form P-11222
- Age 7
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
in touch, headway 15th, ridden to join leader 2 out, led last, ran on
- Form 8PP2R0
- Age 8
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
in rear, ridden and mistake 5th, plodded on
- Form P-9P3P3
- Age 9
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer H D Daly
- Jockey M Bradburne
led 2nd, headed 3 out and weakened
- Form 621P1P
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer Miss H C Knight
- Jockey Paul Moloney
in touch, ridden and weakened 13th
- Form P7P613
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Antony Evans
mid-division, weakened 9th, lost touch 15th
- Form 35-7P29
- Age 8
- Weight 10-10
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey P J Brennan
prominent, settled in touch when mistake 2nd and 13th, ridden to chase leaders next, led after 3 out, all out when headed last
- Form 229224
- Age 9
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
led 1st and stayed prominent, ridden and weakened 15th
- Form 260P87
- Age 8
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
mid-division, headway 9th, ridden to chase leaders and mistake 5 out, weakening when hit 2 out
- Form 1P/1-25P
- Age 8
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 122
- Trainer A King
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
towards rear, headway 15th to take closer order, ridden and one pace from 3 out
- Form 16P434
- Age 8
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 120
tracked leaders, ridden 12th, weakened 15th, pulled up before 2 out
Koumba (FR)
102- Form 012719
- Age 8
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Christian Williams
in touch, lost place 7th, well behind from 16th
- Form 81421U
- Age 11
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer M Sheppard
- Jockey T Scudamore
tracked leaders until weakened 14th
- Form 751899
- Age 11
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 111
- Trainer S A Brookshaw
- Jockey L P Aspell
towards rear, ridden 12th, steady headway 16th, kept on
In depth
Verdict
Sweet Diversion has been most consistent and can pay to follow, with Jakari, Fork Lightning, Naunton Brook and Parsons Legacy seen as possible dangers. There are plenty in with chances here, but overall Sweet Diversion has the best claims based on his efforts early on this season. The Paul Nicholls inmate likes faster ground so was rested through the winter and lines up fresher than most. Jakari is well handicapped at present, goes well here and also has the ground in his favour so has to be on the short-list along with Fork Lightning. The latter hails from the stable that collected 12 months ago with Lords Best, and is preferred to Alan King's other runner Ken'tucky. Naunton Brook has been pretty consistent of late, while Parsons Legacy lines up on a 4lb lower mark than when sent off as favourite last year. He would have finished closer than fifth but for a mistake, and can at least turn the tables on last year's runner-up Cassia Heights. Sonevafushi appears to have too much weight, and for the winner we return to Sweet Diversion.
Formwatch
See You Sometime 50-1 (11-12) Led, pushed along after 11th, headed 15th, weakened after 4 out, 6th of 9, 42l behind Celestial Gold (11-8) at Aintree 3m 1f chs Grd 2 (1) gd.
Fork Lightning (IRE) 16-1 (11-2) Held up and jumped right, headway 10th, ridden after 2 out, weakened last, 6th of 21, 10l behind Dun Doire (10-9) at Cheltenham 3m hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gs in Mar.
Sweet Diversion (IRE) 13-2 (11-8) Tracked clear leading pair, headway 15th, left poor 2nd 4 out, 2nd of 6, 17l behind Iris's Gift (11-8) at Cheltenham 3m nov chs (B) gd in Oct.
Jakari (FR) 7-1 (11-12) Held up in touch, close up 4 out, soon ridden, stayed on same pace from 2 out, 3rd of 11, 9l behind Presenting Express (10-7) at Newbury 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gf in Mar.
Cruising River (IRE) 25-1 (10-13) In touch, mistake 12th, soon weakened, behind when pulled up 5 out in race won by You're Special (10-12) at Cheltenham 3m amt hcp chs 0-140 (2) gd in Mar, 21 ran.
Naunton Brook 16-1 (11-12) Mid-division, headway 11th, ridden approaching 4 out, weakened 2 out, 3rd of 12, 13l behind Earl's Kitchen (10-12) at Exeter 3m 6f hcp chs 0-125 (3) hvy in Mar.
Parsons Legacy (IRE) 7-1jt-fav (10-11) Prominent, ridden after 11th, weakened 15th, 9th of 21, 20l behind You're Special (10-12) at Cheltenham 3m amt hcp chs 0-140 (2) gd in Mar.
Quazar (IRE) 20-1 (10-3) Behind, stayed on from 3 out but never a danger, 7th of 15, 14l behind dhtrs Horus (10-9) & Cornish Sett (11-4) at Newbury 2m 4f lst hcp chs (1) gf in Mar.