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17:30 Cheltenham

Wednesday 15 March 2017

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1)

Off time: 17:33 | Winning time: 3m 51.1s

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Selected odds by:

And The New²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Farrelly

100/1

Ran well on debut for new yard at Lingfield. That leaves with him a lot to find here but he looked a nice horse in Ireland and he appears to have races in him.

Form: 3/376-

Bakmaj⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: D F O'Regan| T: A Fleming

12/1

Bought with this race in mind and duly opened his account with ease for new connections last time. That was not a strong race and he has a fair bit to find with Carter McKay judged on his Leopardstown debut.

Form:

Better Getalong²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Brian Harding| T: N G Richards

50/1

Has more to do here after two hard fought victories in Scotland. It is possible he is idle in front and has had plenty in the locker but this represents a giant leap in class nonetheless.

Form: 2-

Carter Mckay³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins

11/2

Has been all the rage for this since his emphatic victory at Naas. Beat a good horse that day and delighted his trainer, who compared him favourably to his eight previous winners of this race. Main concern is he has yet to race in a big field and that experience usually counts for a lot in this environment.

Form: 21-110

Cause Toujours⁹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

9/2

Scored decisively on his Warwick debut but that form has not worked out well. That experience in a big field on an undulating track will help him but French-bred horses have a poor record in a race dominated by those bred in Ireland.

Form: U-

Claimantakinforgan²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

22/1

His two defeats leave him short of the standard usually required to win this event. May need much softer ground than is forecast.

Form: S1-

Copernicus^t²⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R Johnson| T: C E Longsdon

66/1

Winner of a minor race last August before moving to new quarters. That form is not good enough and the lack of a recent run raises further doubts about his prospects in a race as hot as this. Stable are 0-52 at the Festival, but he does get the champion jockey for company in this.

Form: 4410-

Fisherman Frank²⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: T Scudamore| T: M Blake

66/1

Came good in a weak Worcester contest in the summer. Needs to have made giant strides since then to feature at the business end in this.

Form: 26-61P

Imperial Eloquence⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien

25/1

Only two horses have won this having failed to score last time out. Has run well in some hot races and has experience on the track but others look stronger. Stable form is an added source of concern.

Form: 12/320-

Mountain Rock¹²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: J W Kennedy| T: A Keatley

66/1

Winner of a couple of summer bumpers before finishing fifth here in November. Would probably like much quicker ground than is forecast in order to enter calculations.

Form: 5F1135

Next Destination⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins

10/1

Winner of a five-runner race at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day. The runner-up has been beaten since so the form looks short of the standard needed. The yard have won this previously with horses that did not appear to be their main hope. He cannot be totally ruled out although experience in a bigger field would have enhanced his chance.

Form: 1-14

Perfect Harmony⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Ian Popham| T: A King

33/1

Beat My Mate Mark on his sole start in a bumper. That was in a big field so he has that experience in the bank. This race would normally go to one with more miles on the clock but he could turn out to be something special.

Form: F

Quick Grabim³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: N D Fehily| T: R P McNamara

25/1

Won a minor event at Leopardstown and the runner-up was well behind Someday next time. Looks to have plenty to find amongst these rivals..

Form: 2

Robin The Raven^p1¹²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: David Bass| T: K C Bailey

33/1

Form of his Towcester victory has been devalued since. Would be a huge surprise if he has found the improvement necessary to win a race of this stature. Cheekpieces are tried for the first time.

Form: 2210-

West Coast Time^t³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: D N Russell| T: J P O'Brien

16/1

Has shown a fair standard of form in two small field bumpers. Ideally you need to bring winning form into this (22-24 were winners last time out) and he has a fair bit to find with Carter McKay on their Naas meeting last time out.

Form: 1

Western Ryder³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: G Sheehan| T: W Greatrex

7/1

May have had a difficult task in trying to concede 21lb to Daphne du Clos last time in a race that developed into a sprint and in which he was too keen in the early stages. Quickened through a wall of horses in good company at Ascot prior to that. Has all the tools required to win this and a big run is expected.

Form: 1

Fayonagh³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr J J Codd| T: G Elliott

7/1

Got the run of the race in desperate ground to win a Listed mares race by a wide margin at Fairyhouse last month. Given the ammunition at his disposal, it is interesting she is the one her trainer has targeted for this.

Form: 8111

Irish Roe¹²³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Henry Brooke| T: P Atkinson

12/1

Dead-heated here in November in Listed company. The form does not look as strong now but this cheap buy from a small yard does not know when she is beaten. She has track experience in a large field and that earns respect.

Form: 1110

Dans Le Vent³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Jamie Snowden

100/1

Winner of a minor race at Towcester before improving on that in a hot race at Newbury where he finished behind Western Ryder. Looks clearly held by that rival coming here.

Form: 1

Debuchet⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: D E Mullins| T: Ms M Mullins

10/1

Did not have to improve on his debut run in order to open his account second time out at Leopardstown in January. Acts on any going and recorded a good time in that win. Only three four-year-olds have won this since 1992 however.

Form: 212

My Mate Mark¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Tom Cannon| T: Martin Smith

50/1

Front-runner who was touched off by Perfect Harmony on debut. Did not need to improve on that next time when scoring at Southwell late last month and little reason to believe he can finish ahead of Alan King's charge here.

Form:

Nelson's Touch³²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Nick Scholfield| T: D J Coakley

100/1

Has plenty to find on form. Finished behind Western Ryder last time and meets that rival on worse terms here.

Form: 33

Non-Runners

Someday³¹

Weight: 11-5| Age: 5

T: Mrs J Harrington J: Miss K Harrington

Forecasts

Cause Toujours (9/2), Carter Mckay (11/2), Fayonagh (7/1), Western Ryder (7/1), Someday (7/1), Debuchet (10/1), Next Destination (10/1), Bakmaj (12/1), Irish Roe (12/1), West Coast Time (16/1), Claimantakinforgan (22/1), Quick Grabim (25/1), Imperial Eloquence (25/1), Perfect Harmony (33/1), Robin The Raven (33/1), Better Getalong (50/1), My Mate Mark (50/1), Mountain Rock (66/1), Copernicus (66/1), Fisherman Frank (66/1), Dans Le Vent (100/1), And The New (100/1), Nelson's Touch (100/1)

Carter Mackay represents a yard that know exactly what it takes to land this. It is interesting that the yard are not represented in the same numbers as previous runnings and that could signify the confidence they have in his ability. His trainer was thrilled with his latest victory and he is a worthy market leader. He lacks experience in a field of this size and preference is for SOMEDAY. He looked the likely winner a long way out last time but almost threw the race away when he caught sight of a giant TV screen. He displayed a high cruising speed in a race run at a good pace and they are tools you need for this. He possesses plenty of room for further improvement and there has been significant support for him. Western Ryder looks the pick of the home team judged on his latest effort behind a smart horse. That represents solid form in a race where there are a lot of potential improvers.