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15:30 Cheltenham

Tuesday 14 March 2017

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

Stan James Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 3m 51.0s

1^st

Buveur D'Air

611-10

5/1

T: N J HendersonJ: N D Fehily

Mid-division, closing when hit 4 out, went 2nd 2 out, led before last, driven and stayed on well flat, edged right and asserting inside final 100 yards

2^nd

4 ½

My Tent Or Yours

1011-10

16/1

T: N J HendersonJ: Aidan Coleman

Held up towards rear, headway approaching 2 out, went 2nd last, stayed on flat but not able to trouble winner tchd 20/1 and 14/1 in places

3^rd

Petit Mouchoir

611-10

6/1

T: H De BromheadJ: B J Cooper

Led, not fluent 4 out, mistake 2 out, driven and headed before last, lost 2nd at hurdle, held in 3rd after, kept on same pace, edged right final 75 yards op 15/2

4^th

Footpad

511-10

14/1

T: W P MullinsJ: Ruby Walsh

Held up in mid-division, headway from home turn, went 4th last, unable to get on terms and kept on same pace flat

5^th

The New One

911-10

10/1

T: N A Twiston-DaviesJ: Sam Twiston-Davies

Tracked leader, hit 4th, hit 4 out and lost 2nd, 2nd again before 3 out until approaching 2 out, outpaced and no impression before last, stayed on again without threatening flat tchd 9/1

6^th

2 ¾

Sceau Royal

511-10

25/1

T: A KingJ: D A Jacob

Held up towards rear on inside, headway from 3 out to chase leaders after 2 out, ridden and no impression before last, weakened flat tchd 33/1

7^th

Yanworth

711-10

2/1f

T: A KingJ: M P Walsh

Tracked leaders on inside, outpaced after 3 out, 9th and looking well held 2 out, plugged on flat, no impression op 9/4 tchd 5/2 in places

8^th

Wicklow Brave

811-10

22/1

T: W P MullinsJ: P Townend

Reluctant to race and lost about 6 lengths, recovered ground by after 1st but still held up in rear, headway on outside 3 out, travelling ok chasing leaders after next, ridden and no impression before untidy jump last, weakened flat op 20/1 tchd 25/1 in places

9^th

Brain Power

611-10

13/2

T: N J HendersonJ: D J Mullins

Tracked leaders, raced keenly, mistake 2nd, went 2nd 4 out until before 3 out, lost place after 2 out, soon weakened, well beaten when mistake last and wandered left on landing op 7/1 tchd 15/2 in places

10^th

Cyrus Darius

811-10

50/1

T: J M JeffersonJ: B S Hughes

Held up towards rear, not fluent 3 out, lost touch before next, soon well behind, tailed off op 33/1

Also Ran

Moon Racer

811-10

10/1

T: D PipeJ: T Scudamore

Tracked leaders on outside, mistake 4 out, soon beaten, behind when pulled up before 3 out tchd 9/1

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Non-Runners

Ch'tibello²⁴

Weight: 11-10| Age: 6

T: D Skelton J: Harry Skelton

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£5.90Pl:£2.00, £3.40, £2.30EX:£64.30Trifecta:£653.30Tricast:£495.82SF:£77.52Swingers:£11.70, £5.60, £17.30

Forecasts

Yanworth (2/1), Buveur D'Air (5/1), Petit Mouchoir (6/1), Brain Power (13/2), The New One (10/1), Moon Racer (10/1), Footpad (14/1), My Tent Or Yours (16/1), Wicklow Brave (22/1), Sceau Royal (25/1), Ch'tibello (25/1), Cyrus Darius (50/1)

A fascinating if slightly sub-standard renewal of the 2m Championship division with the drying ground looking to favour Brain Power from the trio that trainer Nicky Henderson runs in the race. He’s clearly been put away to wait for better ground after his impressive handicap victories and deserves a chance at this level. The other major Henderson hope Buveur D’Air looks a far better horse with cut in the ground and the likely quicker surface here could leave him vulnerable. Yanworth has some high-class hurdling form to his name and will appreciate a strongly run race although there still remains a nagging doubt about his jumping under pressure and the fact that he may not quite have the gears for this. The novice Moon Racer adds an extra dimension to the race and comes here with just two hurdles runs (and wins) to his name and it’s a brave decision by connections to run him although his lack of experience could well be a problem. Irish trainers have taken the last four runnings of this race and PETIT MOUCHOIR gives them a good chance of making it five. His dominant run style could give him an easy time on the front end and his overall form matches anything in this race. The Willie Mullins duo of Wicklow Brave and Footpad look capable of outrunning their odds for the man who has trained the last two winners of the Champion Hurdle.