1.30 Cheltenham (Day 2, Race 1)
Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle (Registered As
The Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 1) (Class 1) (4YO plus)
Winner £68,340
Advice: 1 pt win Red Sherlock (5/1 general), 1 pt win
Rathvinden (6/1 general)
Ballyalton: Looked a very decent prospect when getting the
better of Oscar Rock at Newcastle and then bettered that form with tightly
edged 2m1f win over Garde La Victoire here next time; Disappointing on New
Year’s Day here but the ground turned against him and has come right now; Still
some improvement to find. 
Cocktails at Dawn: Third behind Ballyalton on his second
start over hurdles having previously been disappointing on soft ground debut at
Newbury; Can improved steadily but this may be too much too soon for him.
Cole Harden: Has made success of front running and looked as
comfortable upped in trip for victories at Fontwell and Newbury as he did for
his earlier success in season at 2 miles last summer but may be given plenty of
hassle on the lead as well and more needed.
Creepy: Got the better of Timesremebered earlier in the
season in Grade 2 here and even though he hasn’t liked the mid since he has
work to do even if back to something like this best; Can’t recommend. 
Cup Final: Looked a candidate for this trip in all three of
his runs, two of them behind Irving, but tall order for him to find enough
improvement to get involved in race like this despite obvious promise in defeat
at Taunton (slightly injured in race) and Kempton latest; 
Faugheen: Served notice of his obvious talent when thrashing
Josses Hill by 22 lenghts in Punchestown bumper last summer and has since
looked like one of the most exciting prospects of the season in three hurdle
wins, unextended for all of them and never threatened properly; Obviously a
serious talent and surprise if he didn’t go close today, but beaten precious little
in course of those three wins, hasn’t jumped fluently so far, and fact he’s not
been seen since December is a slight cause for concern; Likely the one to beat
but this a while different test for him. 
Fennell Bay: Useful enough on the flat for Mark Johnson
(rated 90 at time of switching) and won both hurdles starts in good style, a
wide margin winner at Feknham over 2 miles before taking step up in trip
without a problem as he won on the bridle at Musselburgh; This a whole lot
better than that contest and needs to find more. 
Kialla Quay: Beaten a long way in very well contested novice
handicap here the time before winning Grade 2 novices at Sandown and now back
on the same ground which saw him contest most of those victories rather than
the deep surface which saw him flounder at Warwick. 
Knock House: Second to Kialla Quay’s victim Beat That in
November on good to soft surface and since taken small, easy race at Plumpton
before coming a good, albeit well beaten, second behind Champagne West. 
Lieutenant Colonel: Stayed on into second behind Supreme
Novices’ winner Vatour at Navan on debut and deeply impressive when wide margin
winner at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day; No match for Wicklow Brave at
Punchestown latest when looked as if step up from 2 miles might be in order and
interesting here. 
Midnight Thunder: Looks too overmatched for this. 
Rathvinden: Looked a graded horse in the making when landing
his maiden hurdle by 11 lengths before he came down long way from the finish at
Warwick; Couldn’t get past Red Sherlock there in January but meets him on 3lbs
better terms today and is a major player.
Red Sherlock: Unbeaten in 6 starts, including three bumpers,
one of them a listed contest here, and biggest hurdle success when he got
better of Rathvinden latest in C&D trial for this; Mullins horse meets on
3lbs better terms but his travelling, jumping, and attitude at the finish were
all exemplary and should go very close today.
Shanahan’s Turn: Pitched in at the deep end following a
solid maiden hurdle win where step up in trip and experience saw him win well
at Leopardstown. 
Twelve Roses: Lot to find on all form.
VERDICT: A competitive renewal. Many people have Faugheen as
their best chance of the meeting and Willie Mullins’ charge will take a lot of
beating, but his absence and especially jumping are big negatives at the price
and market rivals RED SHERLOCK and RATHVINDEN also bring promise to the table
and are worth dutching on value grounds following their 1-2 in the C&D
trial here; Better ground is not a worry for either. Lieutenant Colonel’s form at 2 miles makes him
interesting here if he handles different ground and a step up in trip.
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