0.73 THE BIG BREAKAWAY (IRE); 5.00 ONE FOR THE TEAM; 5.50 KALOOKI (GER); 6.00 HOUSE ISLAND (IRE); 11.00 AND BETTER OTHERS.
The Big Breakaway was twice a comfortable winner over hurdles last season before tasting defeat for the first time when fourth in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He looks tailor-made for fences and is an exciting recruit to the novice chase ranks. However, some of the Colin Tizzard string have looked in real need of their opening run in the early stages of the season and therefore it may be worth taking a chance on Paul Webber's HOUSE ISLAND. A winner of a Listed bumper here in the early part of his career, he was placed in Graded company over hurdles last winter before running better than the result may suggest in a hot renewal of the Albert Bartlett. He was bought to be a chaser and could come to the boil over the larger obstacles this season. Nicky Henderson won this last season with Champ and his It Sure Is can't be ignored, while One For The Team returned with a respectable third in the Persian War at Chepstow and has a fine record at this venue.
Horse | Comment |
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1 - HILLARY JOHN (IRE) | 40-1 (11-6) Disputed lead, headed 3 out and soon ridden, weakened approaching 2 out, 10th of 13, 30l behind Francky Du Berlais (11-13) at Newton Abbot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Sep |
2 - HOUSE ISLAND (IRE) | 66-1 (11-5) Prominent, led or disputed lead 3rd to before 6th, with leader, lost place when ridden after 2 out, weakened before last, 8th of 19, 20l behind Monkfish (11-5) at Cheltenham 3m nov hdl Grade 1 (1) sft in Mar |
3 - IT SURE IS (IRE) | 11-8fav (10-12) Raced keenly chasing leaders on inside, weakened rapidly after 3 out (normal 4 out) tailed off, 8th of 10, well behind Brinkley (10-12) at Newbury 2m 4f nov hdl (4) sft in Feb |
4 - KALOOKI (GER) | 15-8 (10-12) Chased leader, challenged 3 out, ridden after 2 out, led and hit last, headed flat, held after, 2nd of 5, 4l behind Ramses De Teillee (11-3) at Haydock 3m nov hdl G2 (1) hvy in Feb |
5 - ONE FOR THE TEAM | 6-1 (11-0) Held up in touch, pushed along before 3 out, plugged on in 3rd after next, 3rd of 7, 7l behind Mcfabulous (11-3) at Chepstow 2m 3f nov hdl G2 (1) gd in Oct |
6 - THE BIG BREAKAWAY (IRE) | 8-1 (11-7) Mid-division, pushed along after 4 out, went 4th 2 out, soon ridden, kept on same pace, never threatened leaders, 4th of 12, 15l behind Envoi Allen (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov hdl Grade 1 (1) sft in Mar |