Racecards
15:40 Taunton
Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 104y
- Going: Good to Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £21,000 added
- Winner: £10,926
- 2nd: £5,023
- 3rd: £2,512
- 4th: £1,256
- Form 6/95412-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Lorcan Williams
held up in rear, shaken up and lost ground on leaders before 2 out, no impression after
- Form 1117-P4
- Age 7
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 134
- Trainer K Bailey & M Nicholls
- Jockey David Bass
made all, pressed 2 out, driven 3 lengths up when edged right flat, held on
- Form 22-F252
- Age 7
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 129
- Trainer B J Llewellyn
- Jockey Ben Jones
chased leaders, went 2nd 3 out, every chance 2 out, not fluent last, held by winner and lost 2nd flat
- Form 16-1431
- Age 7
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 125
- Trainer F O'Brien
- Jockey P J Brennan
chased leaders on outside, pulled hard until after 2nd, continued to race keenly after, pushed along and wide final bend, held from 2 out
- Form 6731/87
- Age 8
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey H Cobden
raced wide, chased winner until 3 out, soon pushed along, lost place before 2 out
- Form 120551
- Age 6
- Weight 10-2
- Official Rating 116
- Trainer S Drinkwater
- Jockey Jack Tudor
held up behind leaders, not fluent 5th, closed next, unable to quicken 2 out, rallied and went 2nd flat, stayed on, not quite get to winner
- Form 11671P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 128
- Trainer O Murphy
- Jockey Thomas Bellamy
NonRunner
- Form 03-1575
- Age 8
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 127
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Adam Wedge
NonRunner
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
Zambezi Fix has found only one too good in his last two runs over hurdles but is still edging up the weights. TIMBERMAN wouldn’t want any more rain but should handle the current forecast conditions. He showed a good turn of foot to pick off a subsequent winner at Kempton in November and is quite well regarded. Langer Dan won a Grade 3 handicap last season and was second in the Martin Pipe last March but hasn’t raced since and usually needs a run. Restandbethankful has questions to answer after pulling up at Musselburgh while Fontana Ellissi has gone up 5lb for winning a lesser contest at Ffos Las.
Formwatch
Langer Dan (IRE) 13-2 (11-2) Patiently ridden towards rear, steady headway going well when switched right before 2 out, went 2nd at the last, kept on but readily outpaced run-in, 2nd of 22, 2 1/4l behind Galopin Des Champs (11-9) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp (2) gs in Mar.
Ajero (IRE) 8-1 (11-12) Raced in 4th, not fluent 3rd, last before 3 out, soon outpaced, no impression after, went 4th and closed last, hanging right flat, 4th of 5, 7 1/2l behind Onemorefortheroad (11-4) at Huntingdon 2m hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Zambezi Fix (FR) 15-2 (10-8) Held up in rear, good headway out wide chasing leaders and awkward 2 out, went 2nd at the last, stayed on run-in, always held, 2nd of 8, 1/2l behind Hydroplane (10-2) at Sandown 2m hcp (2) hvy in Jan.
Timberman (IRE) 2-1fav (11-1) Held up well in rear, headway 2 out, led soon after, eased towards finish(only 6 hurdles jumped, all hurdles omitted in back straight), won at Kempton 2m hcp (3) gd in Nov beating Paso Doble (11-8) by 5l, 7 ran.
Birds Of Prey (IRE) 14-1 (10-10) Last trio, never on terms, tailed off when hit 3 out, 7th of 8, 36 3/4l behind Cap Du Mathan (10-9) at Taunton 2m 3f hcp (3) sft in Jan.
Fontana Ellissi (FR) 7-2 (11-6) Held up in rear, not fluent 4th, pushed along after 4 out, headway 3 out, 3rd 2 out, soon switched right, stayed on well in 2nd flat, led towards finish, won at Ffos Las 2m hcp (4) gs in Feb beating Jaunty Viking (11-1) by 1l, 9 ran.
Restandbethankful 11-4 (11-8) Tracked leaders until pushed along 3 out, faltered and pulled up next, at Musselburgh 2m (2) gs in Feb.
Mack The Man (IRE) 22-1 (10-13) Mid-division, hit 3rd and stumbled, slightly hampered next, towards rear 5th, tailed off, 7th of 12, dist behind Metier (11-10) at Lingfield 2m hcp (2) hvy in Jan.