Racecards
15:40 Hereford
Cheltenham & Three Counties Club Selling Hurdle (Class G) (Class G)
- 14 Runners
- Distance: 2m 3f 110y
- Going: Good to Firm
- Form 400U5-2
- Age 9
- Weight 11-3
- Trainer M Gingell
- Jockey Mr S Walsh
headway 4th, ridden and weakened after 7th, behind when pulled up before last
Desert Spa (USA)
173- Form 5P-
- Age 9
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer G Jones
- Jockey Mr M Campbell
prominent, led 7th, headed 3 out, weakened after 2 out
- Form 4FFP00/
- Age 10
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Ms Sue Smith
- Jockey M Batchelor
chased leaders until weakened after 7th
- Form 24/PP-6U
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer R Williams
- Jockey Mr D Mansell
pulled hard, mid-division, weakened after 7th
- Form P560/P0-
- Age 10
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer K Wingrove
- Jockey Mr M Deady
soon behind, tailed off and pulled up before 7th
- Form 011P/0-0
- Age 7
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Miss K Marks
- Jockey R Spate
held up in touch, ridden after 6th, soon beaten
- Form 3P00-33
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer G F Bridgwater
- Jockey A Scholes
prominent, lost place and hit 5th, never on terms after
- Form P-P
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
in touch to 4th, soon tailed off
- Form 6644-42
- Age 11
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Mrs A M Thorpe
- Jockey S Durack
took keen hold in rear, headway 5th, chased winner 2 out, no impression
- Form 2P000-0
- Age 4
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey C Llewellyn
led to 7th, ridden and weakened after 3 out, behind when pulled up before last
Assignation
11- Form 00-0
- Age 4
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer Miss M Bragg
- Jockey P J Brennan
mid-division, mistake 5th, weakened before 7th, tailed off
- Form 1F/PP6-F
- Age 5
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer M C Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
in touch, led 3 out, clear last, ran on
- Form UP/0PPP-
- Age 10
- Weight 10-7
held up, headway 6th, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out
In depth
Verdict
Major Belle can prove up to landing this weak contest, with Dunraven, Sir Walter, Uncle Max and Oro Street expected to provide the main danger. Major Belle was good enough to win both a hurdle and a chase in France before coming over to join Martin Pipe, and now takes a drop in grade on only his third outing for the Nicolashayne yard. Down the field behind Chivite at Exeter, he was staying on well enough behind Knight Of Silver at Newton Abbot when coming down at the last. He probably would have finished second, and that form would be good enough to see him home here. Dunraven has won at this level and was plugging away gamely when second at Fakenham last time. He can give the selection most to do, along with Uncle Max who is one of the four-year-olds in the line-up and has a bit more scope than some of the others. Oro Street is exposed but may be good enough for a place, and in a moderate contest, Major Belle is taken oblige.