Racecards
13:20 Exeter
Cheltenham Preview Evening 3rd March Maiden Hurdle (Div 1) (Class 4)
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f
- Going: Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £5,000 added
- Winner: £3,249
- 2nd: £954
- 3rd: £477
- 4th: £238
Cellist
823- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer J D Frost
- Jockey Hadden Frost
mid-division, lost place 2nd, tailed off 4th
- Form 6/20-
- Age 8
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer C J Down
- Jockey James Davies
held up towards rear, took keen hold, headway before 2nd, soon went 4th, weakened before 3 out, fell 2 out
- Form 21
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey T Scudamore
always prominent, challenged 3rd, driven after 2 out, 2 lengths down last, stayed on well flat, led close home
- Form 23/36-6
- Age 7
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer T Dennis
- Jockey Kieron Edgar
tracked leaders, lost place after 2nd, well beaten 4th, hampered and left remote 4th 2 out
- Form 35-4472
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Mrs D A Hamer
- Jockey T J O'Brien
led until not fluent 3rd, no impression on leaders and one pace before 3 out, not fluent last, no extra flat
- Form 376P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer F O'Brien
- Jockey P J Brennan
in rear, not fluent, behind 4th, left remote 5th 2 out
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Mark Gillard
- Jockey Tom Cannon
mid-division, struggling from 2nd, tailed off 4th
Tobefair
115- Form 26
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Lucy Jones
- Jockey N D Fehily
mid-division, took keen hold, closed after 1st, lost place before 3rd, soon behind
Alezanna
653- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer D Pipe
- Jockey C O'Farrell
took keen hold, held up well behind, tailed off 3rd
Qualando (FR)
246- Form F3-4
- Age 4
- Weight 10-7
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
always prominent, led 3rd, 2 lengths clear last, hard ridden flat, headed close home
Verdict
Herbert Park had to be ridden out to hold off Winter Walk in a Chepstow bumper and the runner-up has been beaten twice since. But he makes more appeal than stablemate Alezanna who, along with fellow newcomers Cellist and Ofcoursewecan, has a lengthy absence to overcome. Looks Like Power was second at Ffos Las on his latest start but still beaten 27 lengths. QUALANDO should be winning this if running anywhere near the form he showed when fourth in a Listed hurdle at Auteuil last May. Given new connections, it's unlikely he'll be coming here undercooked.
Formwatch
Cellist 6-1 (8-9) Slowly into stride, soon mid-division, ridden and lost place 3f out, 9th of 11, 23l behind Arch Villain (9-3) at Kempton 1m 4f hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Oct '12 (flat).
Craiganee (IRE) 50-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, headway on outside over 4f out, weakened over 2f out, 10th of 18, 28l behind Carningli (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m NH flat (4) gs in Oct '13.
Herbert Park (IRE) 13-8fav (11-0) Tracked leaders in 3rd, went 2nd about 9f out, led over 3f out, clear over 1f out, won at Chepstow 2m NH flat (6) sft in Nov beating Winter Walk (11-0) by 1l, 9 ran.
Its A Long Road 50-1 (11-5) Towards rear, pushed along before 4th, modest 6th before 3 out, never on terms, 6th of 16, 37l behind Souriyan (10-4) at Exeter 2m 1f mdn hdl (5) gs.
Looks Like Power (IRE) 33-1 (11-5) Mid-division, not much room 1st, headway after 5th, well held 2 out, plugged on flat, went 2nd close home, no chance with winner, 2nd of 9, 27l behind Beast Of Burden (11-5) at Ffos Las 2m nh nov hdl (4) hvy.
Nervous Nineties 100-1 (11-3) Held up, pulled hard, headway after 4 out, weakened well before next, pulled up approaching 2 out, in a race won by Shanroe Santos (11-6) at Ludlow 2m 5f mdn hdl (5) sft, 16 ran.
Ofcoursewecan (USA) 12-1 (8-13) Tracked leaders, ridden over 3f out, soon beaten, last of 8, 32l behind Ikhtisas (9-5) at Doncaster 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-75 (5) gf in Jul '13 (flat).
Tobefair 14-1 (11-0) Led, headed over 5f out, weakened over 2f out, 6th of 10, 40l behind Always Lion (11-0) at Worcester 2m NH flat (6) gd in Sep.
Alezanna 5-1 (9-0) Chased leader, led over 6f out, ridden and headed inside final furlong, weakened towards finish, 6th of 10, 4l behind Delightful Sleep (9-2) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp 0-60 (6) pol in Apr '13 (flat).
Qualando (FR) 10-1 (10-1) 4th of 11, 10l behind Bonito Du Berlais (10-1) at Auteuil(FR) 2m 1f Listed hdl 3yo (1) sft in May.
Gifted Island (IRE) 33-1 (11-0) Prominent, lost place over 6f out, well beaten final 5f, tailed off, 9th of 10, well behind Ghost River (11-2) at Chepstow 2m NH flat (5) hvy in Dec.