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15:15 Cheltenham

Wednesday 1 January 2025

All12:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 5m 16.92s

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Selected odds by:

Lucky Place³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 145

3/1

Signed off last term with an excellent fourth of 21 to Langer Dan in the Coral Cup at the Festival here (21f, heavy). Beaten 4¾ lengths by the winner that day and now meets that rival on 6 lb worse terms, but this 6-y-o appears to have improved since judged on his Ascot Grade 2 reappearance success.

Form: 21224-1

Langer Dan³³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 160| C| D

5/1

Became the first dual winner of the Coral Cup at the big meeting here in March and even better performances when placed in Graded events at Aintree and Sandown in April. Should come on for his Newbury reappearance spin but he does appear to excel in big-field handicap scenarios.

Form: 90132-3

Salver³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Caoilin Quinn| T: G & J Moore| OR: 143

10/3

Quickly made up into a smart juvenile last term, winning first 4 starts before finishing third in the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival in March. Creditable fourth in the Gerry Fielden on return at Newbury (16.3f, good to soft), not for the first time shaping as though a stiffer test would be welcomed.

Form: 11113-4

Gowel Road¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N A Twiston-Davies| OR: 146| C

7/1

Held his form well last term, culminating in a very respectable effort in the Pertemps Final here. Has continued the good work since returning to action in October, posting solid efforts in defeat in a trio of 3m handicaps at this course, and he's likely to give another good account.

Form: 346-222

Thunder Rock³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy| OR: 149| D

22/1

Very smart chaser who scored twice last season before failing to complete (pulled up) in the Bowl at Aintree in April. Again pulled up returned to this sphere on his reappearance in the Ascot Grade 2 won by Lucky Place and he has a bit to prove on the back of that disappointing display.

Form: 1P21P-P

Golden Ace³⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Lorcan Williams| T: J Scott| OR: 144| BF| CD

5/2

Unbeaten in 4 novice hurdles last season, including the Dawn Run at the Festival, and travelled well for a long way when fourth in the 5-runner Ascot Grade 2 won by Lucky Place on her reappearance in November. Entitled to come on for that and she's a strong candidate.

Form: 2/1111-4

Non-Runners

Twig³⁹

Weight: 11-0| Age: 10

T: B Pauling J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Golden Ace (5/2), Lucky Place (3/1), Salver (10/3), Langer Dan (5/1), Gowel Road (7/1), Thunder Rock (22/1), Twig (33/1)

SALVER shaped as though ready for a stiffer test when capping a productive juvenile campaign by finishing third in the Triumph Hurdle here in March. He again left that impression when fourth on return at Newbury and, now given the chance to show what he can do over a longer trip, the 5-y-o gets the nod ahead of Golden Ace, who was only fourth behind Lucky Place at Ascot but she should be sharper here. Langer Dan is the pick of these in terms of raw ability but this scenario may not be ideal.