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17:05 Cheltenham

Friday 27 October 2023

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:05

Abu Dhabi Digital Markets Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:07 | Winning time: 4m 54.5s

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Selected odds by:

Angels Breath²⁰⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: S Thomas| OR: 138

17/2

Won both chase starts for Nicky Henderson in 2019, showing smart form in the process. However, he was pulled up on yard debut following a lengthy absence in January and didn't achieve a great deal, despite finishing second, on handicap debut next time. Hard to know what to expect back hurdling here.

Form: 7311/P2-

Milkwood¹⁸⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: R P McLernon| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 134

20/1

Smart hurdler at his best, placed in top handicaps here and in Ireland either side of winning the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April 2021. Lightly-raced and generally below par since, and while he has slipped to an attractive mark as a result, his stamina for this trip is not copper-bottomed.

Form: F244P6-

Lallygag¹⁹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Freddie Gingell⁽⁷⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 133

9/2

Winner of 3 of his half-a-dozen starts over hurdles at up to 18.5f last season, and signed that campaign off with an improved third of 13 upped to 20.2f here (good) on his handicap debut in April. Good chance that this 6-y-o has more to offer and he's high on the shortlist.

Form: 112133-

Building Bridges⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr O McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: Gary McGill| OR: 131| D

18/1

Raised his game when bagging handicaps at Down Royal (20.4f) and Galway (2¾m) during the summer, and good third in a 16-runner race on the Flat at Navan when last seen at the end of August. Further progress is certainly needed off present mark, but this Irish raider merits respect all the same.

Form: 5314-11

Thirtyfourstitches^p1²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 131| D

40/1

Won twice at Plumpton last season before scoring back from a break at Newton Abbot (21.6f, good to soft) in July. Followed that with a couple of solid efforts in defeat before failing to fire (made mistakes) in the Fontwell handicap won by Soul Icon. Now tried in cheekpieces.

Form: 23-1225

Soul Icon^t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Kimber⁽³⁾| T: K Burke| OR: 129| C| D

4/1

Highly progressive in 2022, winning 5 handicaps on the bounce, the latest registered here in October of that year. Below par in a couple of runs during the spring, but back on the up when scoring on his recent reappearace at Fontwell (19.2f, good). 4 lb rise fair and needs considering.

Form: 111P7-1

Bucko's Boy^p³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 124| D

20/1

Better than ever since returning from a break/following a wind op, landing handicaps at Bangor (19.6f) and Stratford (2¾m) in August. proving 1¼ lengths too good for Thirtyfourstitches in the latter. Clear of the rest when second at Kelso last time and likely to give another good account.

Form: 47-3112

Rambo T²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 123

7/1

Confirmed previous promise upped in trip when off the mark in 13-runner maiden at Chepstow (19.5f) in February. Added to that when narrowly prevailing in a Newton Abbot handicap (21.6f, soft) on return this month. More needed up 4 lb in this more competitive race, but couldn't rule out.

Form: 221U-71

Kansas City Star^p1²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: D J Gilligan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 122| BF

16/1

Point winner who remains a maiden following 7 attempts in this sphere, but placed on 5 occasions and looks nailed on to win a race sooner rather than later. However, the addition of cheekpieces/switch to handicap company will need to spark improvement if he's to get off the mark here.

Form: 3PP2-22

Rocky Man¹⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 122| D

7/1

Looked promising sent handicapping at the beginning of last season, scoring at Wetherby prior to finding just one too good at Ffos Las (both at around 2½m). Looked amiss tried in cheekpieces (discarded here) at Ayr when last seen in April (subsequently gelded) and needs to get back on track.

Form: 7/12P38-

Serious Operator^t¹⁸⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: P W Wadge⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 122| DWS

13/2

Successful in 2 of his 3 starts in points and made it 3-5 over hurdles when landing a Class 2 Ayr handicap (21.4f, good) when last seen in April. Since undergone a second wind op and, up just 3 lb for that latest success, he has to enter calculations back from a break (good record fresh).

Form: 1/15161-

Arabian King^t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: J C Gainford| T: C Collins| OR: 118| D

20/1

Killarney maiden hurdle winner in July 2022 and looked better than ever when adding to his tally on the Flat at Listowel (14.2f, soft) las month. However, he will need to produce another career best back hurdling if he's to take this prize.

Form: 965-687

Stringtoyourbow⁵⁷⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams| OR: 113

33/1

Left his qualifying runs well behind when close second on 20.5f Newbury handicap debut in March 2022. Went one better with plenty in hand upped to 24.3f at Ayr the following month and 12 lb rise for that is fair enough. 19-month absence an obvious concern, but he's interesting nonetheless.

Form: 376921/

Pinnacle Peak^p³²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Adam Wedge| T: M Keighley| OR: 111| D

28/1

Completed a hat-trick in summer 2021 and resumed winning ways at Worcester (2½m, good to soft) last month. Fair fourth of 8 since at Warwick where the 25f trip may have stretched him and place possibilities back down in distance here.

Form: 1/P63-14

Elogio^p,t1¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 112

9/1

Wide-margin winner of Aintree bumper on debut/sole start for Richard Bandey last November. Runner-up all 4 starts switched to hurdles for present yard, including in first-time cheekpieces (retained) on recent handicap bow/return at Worcester (2½m, soft). Tongue strap now added.

Form: 1222-2

Moneynabane²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Ben Bromley⁽⁵⁾| T: N McCluskey| OR: 105

80/1

Found some improvement when opening hurdles account at the ninth attempt at Downpatrick (21.5f, soft) 3 weeks ago. However, couldn't be sure that he'll build on that and, in any case, this 5-y-o has much more on his plate from 7 lb out of the handicap in this touger race.

Form: 753571

Forecasts

Soul Icon (4/1), Lallygag (9/2), Serious Operator (13/2), Rambo T (7/1), Rocky Man (7/1), Angels Breath (17/2), Elogio (9/1), Kansas City Star (16/1), Building Bridges (18/1), Arabian King (20/1), Bucko's Boy (20/1), Milkwood (20/1), Pinnacle Peak (28/1), Stringtoyourbow (33/1), Thirtyfourstitches (40/1), Moneynabane (80/1)

Cases can be made for a good number of these, with unexposed 6-y-os SERIOUS OPERATOR and Lallygag topping the shortlist, in that order of preference. The former landed a decent Ayr handicap on his final start of last season and his record when fresh (winner of all 4 starts under Rules following a break of 2 months or more) augurs well. Lallygag did very little wrong as a novice and should have more to offer, while Bucko's Boy, the hat-trick seeking Building Bridges and Rambo T all merit respect.