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14:10 Cheltenham

Friday 13 March 2020

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

Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 4m 2.42s

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Selected odds by:

Eldorado Allen⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 150

33/1

French import won a strong maiden at Sandown in November 2018; beaten fav in Listed contest at same venue behind Quel Destin/Call Me Lord last month and tough school conceding weight all round here.

Form: 23/1U-23

Aramon⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 149

8/1

Grade 1-winning novice early last season and fair effort in the Supreme here (sixth) before finishing second at Aintree; less than 9L behind Honeysuckle in last month's Irish Champion Hurdle; gets vote of Townend from available Mullins contenders.

Form: 262-645

Embittered^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 146

14/1

Naas maiden winner in November and sound in defeat behind Envoi Allen and Abacadabras in Grade 1 novices' after; good sixth last month in Leopardstown handicap but is 6lb higher for that effort.

Form: 3-41536

Christopher Wood²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 145

33/1

Placed in an Aintree Grade 1 last spring as novice; pair of wind surgeries either side of average efforts in good company at Wincanton and Newbury in November; easy Musselburgh success last month resulted in 10lb hike for champion trainer.

Form: 13-0491

Stolen Silver^h,t³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N A Twiston-Davies| OR: 143

12/1

Two wins this season and close-up behind Supreme third Chantry House over C&D in December; never able to get a blow in last time in the Betfair Hurdle and again facing into a big-field charge here.

Form: 2-U1218

Scaramanga⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Bryan Carver⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 142

50/1

Consistent last season and won at Wincanton in December; struggled next time in Grade 3 Ascot handicap (heavy) and beaten fav in an AW handicap on the way here off a mark of 85. High enough in ratings and looks second string for champion trainer.

Form: 212-817

Mohaayed^p,t⁸³

11/1

Stable won this last year with similar profile sort; no win since late 2018 but rated 3lb below that mark now and has undergone wind operation since four sub-standard effort in run-up to Christmas; bounce back is possible.

Form: 79-5099

Pakens Rock¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: K J Brouder⁽³⁾| T: B T Murphy| OR: 142| D

40/1

Three wins since September over timber and ran well behind Abacadabras at Navan in November; beaten last time at Naas however and seemingly handed a stiff task from this mark of 142 now.

Form: 134P15

Moon Over Germany⁷⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 141| BF| D

25/1

Better known as a chaser and while he ran well enough at Leopardstown over Christmas back hurdling; he was well held and races here from a 7lb higher mark. Trainer/jockey in fine form this week already however.

Form: 1-41328

Buildmeupbuttercup^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 141| BF

16/1

Smart mare on the Flat, twice run well in valuable handicaps at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown on yielding-to-soft this term; another one that the handicapper is wary of and mark of 141 certainly demands extra.

Form: 500-P25

Adjali¹³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 140| BF| DWS

16/1

French import won on stable bow and ran well in string of graded novice events last year after joining Nicky Henderson; slightly disappointing on return in Listed Ascot h'cap but wind op since and dropped 1lb for what wasn't a poor effort.

Form: 12374-6

Zanza^h³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 140

33/1

Four-time winning hurdler bounced back to something like his best when staying on eye-catchingly from the rear for 2L sixth in last month's Betfair Hurdle (plenty of these behind). 2lb higher now but certainly looks capable of getting in the scrap.

Form: 1-P16F6

Tiger Tap Tap^h¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: D J Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 139

28/1

Hasn't really built on the promise of second to ill-fated Sir Erec on first start for this trainer, despite twice winning over timber this season (both soft); plenty more required from this mark to take a heat as competitive as this one.

Form: 9-41106

Ciel De Neige³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: M P Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 139| BF

6/1

Placed in Fred Winter last year on debut for yard; runner-up in last month's Betfair Hurdle with plenty of these behind him in first-time hood (off here). Up 4lb for that effort but far from prohibitive. Strong contender for yard that runs five.

Form: 4/53-422

Thatsy^t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 139

8/1

Navan maiden win in November came over this sort of trip and has twice shaped promisingly over minimum distance in handicaps at Leopardstown since; could be an improver upped in trip again but has been hit with a tough mark.

Form: 1-22149

Oakley³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 138

25/1

Competitive in all starts this season and best form is on soft ground; third here on reappearance and good ground/traffic problems from the rear didn't assist when seventh in the Betfair Hurdle last month; eased 1lb and very dangerous to discount.

Form: 11-3327

Beat The Judge¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 138

66/1

Hasn't won over hurdles since Kempton Juvenile contest in 2018 but that doesn't tell all; Listed second over that C&D on return and then sixth at Newbury when trying to give 3lb to Epatante. Mark is a plausible one and fit from recent AW spin.

Form: 2P5-236

Saint Roi⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: B J Geraghty| T: W P Mullins| OR: 137

11/2

Placed in Listed hurdle at Auteuil before join powerhouse connections, odds-on failure on debut in December but easy winner soft-ground Tramore maiden (2m) in January (second won twice since). Choice of Barry Geraghty and that counts for plenty.

Form: 3-51

Le Ligerien⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Ben Jones⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 137

50/1

Progressing this year and has won his last two, defying a penalty at Haydock last time. Up another 10lb in the ratings now but is one that will relish the soft conditions under him.

Form: 633211

Elusive Belle^h⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen⁽³⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 136| BF

20/1

Twice won as a novice last spring after coming over from Ireland to Seven Barrows; got within 10L of Tuesday's Champion Hurdler in a handicap on reappearance and found only one too good at Kempton over Christmas. 2lb higher in a tougher race.

Form: 1201-32

Rathhill¹³²

25/1

Won at Newbury on rules bow in December 2018 but well-held in Grade 1 Tolworth after and only run since saw him tailed off in a handicap at Down Royal (2m½f, soft; 5-2f) in November. Wind op since and this would be quite the training performance.

Form: 2/14-0

Tiger Voice^t⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Aidan Coleman| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 134

50/1

French import and rated 93 on the Flat, though hasn't quite worked out for him over hurdles so far; plenty more needed but trainer and jockey teamed up to win Tuesday's Arkle with an improver.

Form: 06-2130

Sir Valentine³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Jamie Bargary| T: N A Twiston-Davies| OR: 134

20/1

Newbury novice winner in November over shorter; 88-rated on the Flat and slightly unlucky fourth (hampered at the last) in last month's Betfair Hurdle; 4lb higher here but could well improve again.

Form: F1234

Lethal Steps^t¹³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 133| BF| DWS

50/1

Rated 102 on the Flat at his best but is exposed enough over hurdles (2-16) and should find others better equipped despite wind op since last spotted in American Grand National in the autumn finishing second.

Form: 321728

Non-Runners

You Raised Me Up⁴¹

Weight: 10-11| Age: 7

T: M Brassil J: L P Dempsey

Minella Charmer⁸³

Weight: 10-11| Age: 9

T: James Moffatt J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Saint Roi (11/2), Ciel De Neige (6/1), Aramon (8/1), Thatsy (8/1), Mohaayed (11/1), Stolen Silver (12/1), Embittered (14/1), Buildmeupbuttercup (16/1), Adjali (16/1), Elusive Belle (20/1), Sir Valentine (20/1), Moon Over Germany (25/1), Oakley (25/1), Rathhill (25/1), You Raised Me Up (25/1), Tiger Tap Tap (28/1), Christopher Wood (33/1), Zanza (33/1), Eldorado Allen (33/1), Minella Charmer (33/1), Pakens Rock (40/1), Scaramanga (50/1), Lethal Steps (50/1), Tiger Voice (50/1), Le Ligerien (50/1), Beat The Judge (66/1)

Mohaayed represents a trainer that has won this three times in four years but his wind op will have to get him back on track if he's to prevail. The Betfair Hurdle form will be key with runner-up Ciel De Neige joined by Sir Valentine (fourth), Zanza (sixth) Oakley (seventh) and Stolen Silver (eighth) from that highly-competitive race – any of them can have a say. Aramon and Saint Roi are given votes of confidence by Townend and Geraghty respectively but YOU RAISED ME UP just missed out in a fiercely competitive Leopardstown handicap last time and, despite a sizable hike, could well improve significantly for a yard that had a winner here last year.