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14:00 Market Rasen

188Bet Cheltenham Festival Preview Evening 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (Class 4)

  • 5 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 148y
  • Going: Soft (Heavy in places)
  • Surface: Turf
  • £7,000 added
  • Winner: £4,549
  • 2nd: £1,336
  • 3rd: £668
  • 4th: £334
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 4m 32.60s
  • Off Time: 14:07:20
  • 5 Ran
1
Silk - Dark Green, Light Green chevrons, Red sleeves, White and Red striped cap
  • Form 213-151
  • Age 6
  • Weight 11-8

tracked leading pair, 2nd going well on long run before 2 out, pushed along found little and dropped to 3rd approaching 2 out, soon beaten

2
Silk - Dark Green, Red cross belts and armlets, quartered cap
6/4
  • Form 1/15-451
  • Age 7
  • Weight 11-8

led, not fluent 1st, jumped slowly and briefly headed 4th, not fluent and headed 3 out, pushed along in 3rd and looked struggling soon after, rallied into 2nd before 2 out, led last, carried head high but ran on well

3
Silk - Pink, grey cross belts, hooped sleeves
  • Form F-86P53
  • Age 5
  • Weight 11-1

off the pace in 4th, mistake 5th, outpaced 3 out, mistake next, plugged on run-in, never nearer

4
Silk - Royal Blue, White hollow box
  • Form 3U476-4
  • Age 7
  • Weight 11-1

always last, ridden and outpaced after 5th, soon weakened, mistake 2 out, tailed off

5
Silk - Emerald Green, Yellow chevron and sleeves, Red cap
  • Form 666
  • Age 5
  • Weight 11-1

tracked winner, led briefly 4th, led 3 out, joined next, headed last, weakened run-in

Previous results

In depth

Verdict

BALLYVIC BORU won a maiden hurdle on the bridle before facing a tougher task at Musselburgh and returned to winning ways in an all-weather bumper last week. Brian Ellison’s charge is preferred to First Drift, who opened his account over timber with a victory at Doncaster last time, and gets the vote. The remaining trio look up against it having shown little so far though Sizing Cusimano is the least exposed of them and may well improve.

Formwatch

Ballyvic Boru (IRE) 2-7fav (11-4) Tracked leading pair, 2nd over 2f out, shaken up to lead over 1f out, clear inside final furlong, ran on well, won at Newcastle 2m (4) pol in Mar beating Stay In Touch (11-4) by 2 3/4l, 4 ran.

First Drift 13-2 (11-2) Led, headed before 2 out, regained lead before last, kept on well, won at Doncaster 2m 1f (4) gs in Feb beating Ilewin Geez (11-2) by 3 1/4l, 14 ran.

Cash To Ash (IRE) 33-1 (11-2) Mid-division, struggling 5th, lost touch 3 out, no chance with leaders, left remote 3rd before last, 3rd of 11, 19l behind Contre Tous (11-2) at Southwell 2m (4) sft in Feb.

Robert De Bruce (IRE) 50-1 (11-0) Held up in 5th, headway approaching 3 out, soon 4th and outpaced, weakened from next, 4th of 6, 21 3/4l behind Burst Ya Bubble (11-0) at Uttoxeter 2m mdn (4) gs in Jun.

Sizing Cusimano 8-1 (11-4) Soon led, headed after 2nd, chased leaders, lost place 4th, towards rear and never on terms after, 6th of 10, dist behind Run To Milan (11-4) at Exeter 2m 3f mdn (4) hvy in Jan.