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15:35 Cheltenham

Saturday 26 January 2019

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:10

galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2)

Off time: 15:36 | Winning time: 5m 59.9s

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Selected odds by:

Agrapart³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Lizzie Kelly| T: Nick Williams| OR: 156| CD

25/1

Impressive winner of this race last year but hasn't been in that sort of form this campaign and may have wanted softer conditions than what is likely here. Shaped as if amiss last time and a risky proposition at present.

Form: 7212-49

Lil Rockerfeller^p³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Bryony Frost| T: N B King| OR: 153| CD

20/1

Got away with mistakes when winning over fences here in October but limitations have been exposed over the larger obstacles since. Not one to rule out back in this discipline though and finished runner-up over C&D in the Stayers' Hurdle in 2017.

Form: 2-111U3

Midnight Shadow²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny Cook| T: Mrs S J Smith| OR: 158| C

17/2

Arrives on a roll bidding for a hat-trick after an impressive success last time out when beating re-opposing Wholestone over an extended 2m4f last time out. Interesting contender if he can find some improvement for the step up in trip here.

Form: 71-2011

Paisley Park³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 156| D

10/3

Improving with every start this season and landed a first Grade 1 success at Ascot last time. Perhaps not the strongest Grade 1 event and his sole start here was disappointing but would appear to be a different horse this year and respected here.

Form: 220-111

Sam Spinner^p³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 162| D

11/1

Sent off favourite for last year's World Hurdle but not seen to best effect that day when setting a slow place and things have gone from bad to worse since (jinked unseated rider last time). Risky proposition at present.

Form: 1153-UU

Unowhatimeanharry^p,t³⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: B J Geraghty| T: H Fry| OR: 157| CD

11/1

C&D Festival winner who won this back in 2017. Best effort in some time when winning at Newbury in November but fell last time out and past his best these days. Each-way claims if he's on a going day.

Form: 230-31F

Wholestone²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: D A Jacob| T: N A Twiston-Davies| OR: 157| BF| CD

8/1

A model of consistency who won at Ascot on return this year. Put a rare disappointment behind him (fifth of seven at Newbury) when producing a decent second here last time out behind Midnight Shadow and has rock-solid place claims once again.

Form: 323-152

Black Op^t²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: N D Fehily| T: T R George| OR: 152| D

11/2

Runner-up in the Ballymore at the Festival before gaining compensation in a Grade 1 event at the Grand National meeting. Has disappointed in two starts over fences this time around but worth respecting back over hurdles here.

Form: 1221-33

Aux Ptits Soins²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 149| CD

9/2

Hacked up over C&D on New Year's Day on just his second start for this yard. Often doesn't back up one smart performance with another though and perhaps vulnerable up in class here.

Form: 1428/51

Aye Aye Charlie^t1⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 140| BF

40/1

Only has a novice win at Kelso to his name over obstacles and disappointed when favourite here last time out. Hard to fancy in this much tougher race on all known evidence. Wears first-time tongue-tie.

Form: 374-216

The Mighty Don^p³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: L P Aspell| T: N J Gifford| OR: 150| CD

16/1

C&D winner of a big field handicap at the Open Meeting and has run to a similar level in two starts since (not disgraced behind Paisley Park last time out). Not quite as exposed as some and fairly consistent; each-way shout.

Form: 95-U134

West Approach³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 154

20/1

Useful over hurdles back in the 2016/17 season (placed in this race) and while things didn't work out over fences, he was much better when reverting to hurdles at Ascot last time out. Interesting contender if he can build on that.

Form: 6P-3P52

Forecasts

Paisley Park (10/3), Aux Ptits Soins (9/2), Black Op (11/2), Wholestone (8/1), Midnight Shadow (17/2), Sam Spinner (11/1), Unowhatimeanharry (11/1), The Mighty Don (16/1), West Approach (20/1), Lil Rockerfeller (20/1), Agrapart (25/1), Aye Aye Charlie (40/1)

If MIDNIGHT SHADOW stays this longer trip, he's expected to be hard to beat in his hat-trick attempt after his win last time out. Wholestone was runner-up that day and is always thereabouts in these races while Lil Rockerfeller can't be ruled out on his best form back over hurdles in what looks like a red hot renewal of the race.