Racecards
12:55 Cheltenham
Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Class D)
- 20 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form 153005
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
in touch until ridden approaching 2 out, weakened soon after
- Form 04-1144
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
prominent until ridden 5th, weakened 3 out
- Form 5121
- Age 6
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer A King
- Jockey M A Fitzgerald
in touch, ridden and weaken 3 out, soon well behind
- Form 0-1412
- Age 5
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey A Dobbin
mid-division, ridden and weakened 3 out, soon behind
- Form 1F
- Age 5
- Weight 11-8
- Trainer J Old
- Jockey Timmy Murphy
mid-division, ridden and every chance 2 out, one pace after last
- Form 251-126
- Age 6
- Weight 11-7
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey P Flynn
virtually refused to race, always behind
- Form 052512
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
in touch, ridden and every chance when not fluent 2 out, soon lost place
- Form 0P-02
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey C Llewellyn
prominent until ridden from 6th, soon faded
- Form U43
- Age 6
- Weight 11-5
- Trainer A King
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
mid-division, ridden and some progress 3 out, soon beaten
Ela Re
111- Form 116343
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer C R Dore
- Jockey N D Fehily
held up rear, headway 6th to track leader, ridden to lead approaching last, challenged flat, kept on well
Cool Spice
21- Form 2133
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey R Johnson
held up, headway 6th, ridden to chase leaders soon after, one pace
- Form 0-25531
- Age 8
- Weight 11-4
mid-division, ridden from 5th, stayed on well
- Form 211U50
- Age 5
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer J R Jenkins
- Jockey T Bailey
held up rear, effort when pecked 3 out, kept on
- Form 34P14
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
prominent, ridden and lost place 2 out
- Form 0/5-P1
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
mid-division, headway 3 out to chase leaders, every chance flat, no extra close home
- Form 04-252
- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer Miss H Knight
- Jockey J Culloty
towards rear, some late progress
- Form 0200
- Age 5
- Weight 10-4
mid-division, ridden 3 out, weakening approaching 2 out
Just Superb
14- Form 0P0-12
- Age 5
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer P Pritchard
- Jockey T Greenway
led, not fluent 4th, ridden 2 out, weakening and headed next
- Form 1R10
- Age 5
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer John Harris
- Jockey G Lee
behind until pulled up approaching 4th
In depth
Verdict
A difficult start to the day's proceedings with 20 runners facing the starter including last time out handicap winners Spring Pursuit and Pardishar but they face a stiffer task in a more competitive contest here and preference is for Doce Vida at the other end of the weights. The selection showed decent form in bumpers prior to making a winning debut over hurdles when beating a big field in a novices' event at Wetherby earlier this month. Doce Vida looks well treated on that evidence and with Alan King's stable continuing in good form and, with further improvement to come, he looks the one to be on. Tom George saddles two, Kombinacja and Don Valentino, both ex-Polish geldings, who have progressive profiles. They have to be respected along with Heron's Ghyll from the in-form stable of Venetia Williams. Horses trained by Philip Hobbs have seen resurgence in their form recently so it would be no surprise to see either Forever Dream or Cool Spice, the mount of Richard Johnson, play a part. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ardashir and Martin Pipe's Forbearing, the mount of Tony McCoy are others worthy of a mention but it is Doce Vida that gets the verdict.