Bonus Race - JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial

12.10 Cheltenham
JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (Juvenile Hurdle) (Class 2) (3YO only)
Winner £8,141

Pick: Sam Winner (win)

Pantoxoa: Impressive in France on debut, winning at Clairefontaine, and duly confirmed promise when transferring form to British hurdles in winning at Warwick (form been boosted since); Major player.

Sam Winner: Had shown useful form when coming second on all three French starts and duly built on that when romping home in JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial by unextended 15 lengths, the best juvenile performance of the season so far; Thins will be harder with massive penalty but really the one to beat by a long way.

Akula: Gave it a good go under a penalty when trying for a follow up bid at Huntingdon last time, having previously bolted up at Ludlow; Has place claims but really needs a lot to be troubling principals.

Pullyourfingerout: Has improved for every run over hurdles, winning well last time under a penalty and form has been franked by third since; Can bi given decent enough chance despite steep raise in class.

Blinka Me: Sole success on Flat came for Mark Tompkins over 1½m in May; This likely to be too deep a challenge on hurdling debut.

Green Art: Stopped quickly on debut for new yard so can’t be fancied against these rivals.

Horatio Caine: Ran better as the race went on when a green but not useless seventh at Auteuil and looked as if he was still learning when a well beaten fourth behind Sam Winner last time; Can be expected to get much closer to him today and is 7lbs better off, which can only help.

Kayef: Fairly useful on Flat in France for Freddie Head at up to 15f; This hard task on hurdles debut.

Killusty Fancy: Well clear of remainder when runner-up on debut at Ffos Las last month but needs to leave that far behind if he’s to get involved; That possible but improbable.

Red Sparky: Needs to improve plenty on Navan hurdles debut fifth; Stiff test.

Tom Wade: Shouldn’t be a 100-1 based on his first run (was disputing proceedings directly with Akula) when falling 2 out, but disappointing he couldn’t get the job done next time up and looks really up against it today.

A Media Luz: Very smart filly on the flat in France, winning her first 2 starts before runner up in a Group 3 at Saint Cloud and excellent sixth in the Prix Vermille; That level of form is extremely high for jumping recruit, and will be involved at finish if she jumps well, getting a stone from some principals.

VERDICT: A good juvenile hurdle, and the winner will be pretty smart. A Media Luz will prove a big threat at all if jumping well, but she’s never run over hurdles before and she’s going to have to go some to beat SAM WINNER, who was imperious when bolting up here last month. The presence of Pantxoa means this is not a 2 horse race, while there are useful types such as Pullyourfingerout that can't be discounted.