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14:55 Cheltenham

Saturday 12 November 2022

All12:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:3016:05

Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:59 | Winning time: 5m 58.9s

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Selected odds by:

On The Blind Side^p²⁹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 144| BF| CD

10/1

Smart hurdler who landed this race 2 years ago (from 1 lb higher) and he ran a cracker when runner-up on return in Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury 12 months ago. Struggled to match that in 3 starts thereafter but time to catch him now could be fresh.

Form: 65/26P4-

Lisnagar Oscar²¹³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 142| CD

14/1

2020 Stayers' Hurdle winner and best effort of last campaign when third behind Paisley Park in Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle over C&D in January. However, only added to his hit-and-miss record thereafter, pulled up both starts. Good bit to prove back from 7 months off.

Form: 35P3PP-

Shearer^p,t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Adrian Heskin| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 139| CD

2/1

Fairly useful in bumpers and cemented good start over hurdles when taking Newbury handicap (20.5f) in March, battling well. Arrives fit and in-form following back-to-back novice victories this autumn, (latterly over C&D) 3 weeks ago. Could well be more to come at this trip.

Form: 3215-11

Zoffanien²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Daniel King⁽⁵⁾| T: D Hogan| OR: 137

22/1

Well backed when capitalising on much-reduced mark at Killarney (17f) in July but not in same form (blinkered) at Galway later that month. Fit from a recent spin on Flat at Gowran (11.8f) in October but still to confirm his stamina for this sort of test.

Form: 560-710

Annual Invictus¹⁸⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 135| C| D

12/1

Three-time novice hurdle winner prior to a sound fourth in Betfair Hurdle in 2021. Didn't really kick on from opening promise over fences last autumn but returns with yard in good order if switch back to timber has positive effect.

Form: 1P33V-P

Sidi Ismael^p,t¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 127| D

11/1

Three-time winner over hurdles/fences last season, latterly landing Lincolnshire National at Market Rasen on Boxing Day. Jumping errors caught him out on 2 of next 3 starts but back to form (on back of wind op) when scoring over hurdles last month. Claims with a repeat.

Form: 11FP7-1

Padleyourowncanoe²¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 123| D

7/2

Useful for Colin Tizzard and positive start for this yard (following 15 months off) when third over 3m at Haydock last December. However, never threatened over fences/hurdles thereafter but potentially very well treated if a break has perked him up.

Form: 3/3P874-

Forecast^h⁸²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: James Best| T: M Keighley| OR: 122

66/1

Three-time winner over hurdles in first spell for this yard and added to tally over fences for Richard Newland during 2021. Not at best in couple of small-field hurdle contests earlier this year but another who has fallen plenty in the weights.

Form: F2462-2

Fontana Ellissi²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: R T Dunne| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 116

6/1

Looked rusty on back of 6 months off at Worcester (20f) in September but much more like it when runner-up here (19.9f) 3 weeks ago, keeping on run-in. Worth a crack at this longer trip on that evidence and not ruled out.

Form: 1244-52

Ernesto^t,v³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: C J Todd| T: Ian Williams| OR: 116

40/1

Largely struggled but fit from Flat and capitalised on drop in grade to resume winning ways over hurdles at Hereford (25.5f, good to firm) 32 days ago, just holding on. However, he's more on his plate back in this more competitive scenario.

Form: 1/157-51

Punxsutawney Phil^p¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: B Ellison| OR: 114

14/1

Bumper/maiden hurdle winner who struck at the third time of asking over fences in 4-runner Stratford handicap in August. Good efforts in defeat since, including when 6 lengths third of 7 to Sidi Ismael in handicap hurdle at Worcester (23f, heavy) in October. 4 lb out of weights here.

Form: 2U1223

Valentino^p²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Harry Kimber⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss J Du Plessis| OR: 110| D

16/1

Back to winning ways at Newton Abbot (26.5f) in May and, having unseated next time (going well) he ran another solid race when going down narrowly to Umbrigado at that venue 4 weeks ago. Clearly in rude health but this more demanding from out of the weights.

Form: 114-1U2

Non-Runners

Jatiluwih³⁰⁶

Weight: 11-8| Age: 8

T: P Hobbs & J White J: Mr D Maxwell

Forecasts

Shearer (2/1), Padleyourowncanoe (7/2), Fontana Ellissi (6/1), On The Blind Side (10/1), Sidi Ismael (11/1), Annual Invictus (12/1), Punxsutawney Phil (14/1), Lisnagar Oscar (14/1), Valentino (16/1), Jatiluwih (20/1), Zoffanien (22/1), Ernesto (40/1), Forecast (66/1)

ON THE BLIND SIDE disappointed on 3 of his 4 starts last season but his reappearance effort in the Long Distance Hurdle 12 months ago was a very solid effort and, having landed this race on his respective return from a 1 lb higher mark back in 2020, he could be worth chancing to land a decidedly tricky puzzle. Shearer is less exposed than most and arrives on the back of a C&D novice victory 3 weeks ago and is feared. Fontana Ellissi, Padleyourowncanoe and Sidi Ismael complete the shortlist.