15:45
Three Counties Christmas Open National Hunt Flat Race(listed Race) (Registered As The William Kidd) (GBB Race)
Listed, Class 1, 2m½f, NH Flat, 4-5yo, £11,888, 10 runners
Winning time 3m 56.37s
- Going
- Good
- Surface
- Turf
Tip for this race
All today's tips ›New Grange is our selection, and he heads our ratings on 118, a clear six pounds better than Lord Churchill on 112, which is a meaningful edge in a Class 1 contest over two miles on good ground at Cheltenham. That gap gives him the strongest credentials on our figures, and he looks the one to beat if he brings his best. Lord Churchill is the chief danger, with Parisian Fair and Cameron de Fiacre both on 109 and capable of making it competitive in a field of eleven. Confidence is low given the depth of the opposition, but New Grange is the most likely winner.
Result
Harry Skelton
Dan Skelton
Led from the start - shaken up over 1f out - kept finding to hold rivals at bay and won
Gavin Sheehan
Jamie Snowden
Prominent early - rousted into second 2f out - stayed on without getting to the winner
Bryan Carver
Harry Fry
In midfield early - improved approaching 3f out to sit just behind the front pair 2f out - no extra under pressure over 1f out to finish third
Kielan Woods
Fergal O'Brien
towards back early - gained ground by halfway then niggled 3f out - kept on steadily to hold fourth from 1f out
Jonathan England
Sam England
raced in the middle of the field - sent into fourth 2f out under urging - soon outpaced and stayed on at the same speed to finish 5th
Jonathan Burke
Syd Hosie
Raced among the backmarkers - shoved on 4f out and dropped away tamely - well beaten in 6th
Mr P. W. Mullins
W. P. Mullins
Keen early on - raced in the pack - urged 3f out but gave no response - finished 7th and well beaten
Harry Cobden
Thomas Cooper
close up early - under urging 3f out - faded rapidly over 2f out - finished 8th and well beaten
Ben Jones
Nick Scholfield
Up with the pace early - niggled over 2f out but failed to quicken - dropped away tamely to finish 9th
Sean Bowen
Richard Spencer
Raced in the pack early - dropped away badly over 3f out - finished 10th and a distance behind
Non-runners: Parisian Fair, Rescheduled, Micky Haller
Racecard
Mr P. W. Mullins
W. P. Mullins 5/24
Berkstar won last time out and was second the run before, so the form is hard to knock, but 52 days off and 156 lb leave plenty to prove. He has run over this trip and going, yet our figures rank him only eighth of eleven.
- Sire
- Berkshire (IRE)
- Dam
- Burlesque Star (IRE) by Thousand Words
- Owner
- Francis Mangan
- Foaled
- 21 Feb 2022
- Stable
- Muine Bheag, Co Carlow
- Trainer last 14 days
- 5 wins from 24 runs (21%)
- Trainer running to form
- 46%
- Ratings
- Perf 101
Gavin Sheehan
Jamie Snowden 7/24
Cameron de Fiacre won last time out and has run on today's going before, while the yard's 7 from 24 in the last fortnight adds weight to his claims, making him a serious threat off 156 lb. The one concern is a 185-day absence, so sharpness may be an issue.
- Sire
- Choeur Du Nord (FR)
- Dam
- Civelle (FR) by Ballingarry
- Owner
- Allison And Bryant
- Foaled
- 8 Mar 2022
- Stable
- Lambourn, Berks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 7 wins from 24 runs (29%)
- Trainer running to form
- 51%
- Ratings
- Perf 109
Harry Skelton
Dan Skelton 19/88
Dundee Law arrives in good heart, a winner last time out, then a second two starts back and a third three starts back, and he has run over today's trip and going before. A 39-day break and 156 lb are the counterpoints, with our rating of 106 ranking him fifth of eleven.
- Sire
- Postponed (IRE)
- Dam
- Luz De La Vida (GB) by King's Theatre
- Owner
- Claire Harrison Jane Gerard Pearse
- Foaled
- 10 Feb 2022
- Stable
- Alcester, Warwicks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 19 wins from 88 runs (22%)
- Trainer running to form
- 55%
- Ratings
- Perf 107
Sean Bowen
Richard Spencer 0/1
Unraced and with no recorded form to go on, Groovy Train is a pure unknown on debut, so he's open to plenty of improvement. He carries 156 lb, and there's nothing yet to suggest where his ceiling lies.
- Sire
- Rajasinghe (IRE)
- Dam
- Groovejet (GB) by Cockney Rebel
- Owner
- Phil Cunningham
- Foaled
- 10 Mar 2022
- Stable
- Newmarket, Suffolk
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 1 runs (0%)
- Trainer running to form
- 31%
Jonathan Burke
Syd Hosie 2/9
Hoo's The Jet has been finishing further back with each run, with a fourth last time out, a third two starts back and a second three starts back, so he is yet to win in that run. Fifteen days since his last outing is fine and he has run over today's trip, but 156 lb and a ninth-of-eleven ranking on our figures make him hard to fancy.
- Sire
- Jet Away (GB)
- Dam
- Hoo Bally Diva (IRE) by Scorpion
- Owner
- Brennan , Rose , Van Der Horst
- Foaled
- 21 Mar 2021
- Stable
- Sherborne, Dorset
- Trainer last 14 days
- 2 wins from 9 runs (22%)
- Trainer running to form
- 42%
- Ratings
- Perf 96
Jonathan England
Sam England 5/23
Junior Minister arrives in good heart, a winner last time out after a second two starts back, and he has run over today's trip and on this going. Carrying 156 lb is a burden, though, and our rating of 105 ranks him only seventh of eleven.
- Sire
- Order Of St George (IRE)
- Dam
- Vanellope (IRE) by Presenting
- Owner
- Fleethub Ltd & Ls Boodstock
- Foaled
- 25 Apr 2021
- Stable
- Guiseley, W Yorks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 5 wins from 23 runs (22%)
- Trainer running to form
- 32%
- Ratings
- Perf 105
Ben Jones
Nick Scholfield 0/13
Lord Churchill arrives in cracking nick, second last time out and a winner two starts back, just 15 days after his latest run, and he has run over today's trip and on this going before. Our rating has him second of 11, though 156 lb is the main risk.
- Sire
- Churchill (IRE)
- Dam
- Miss Macnamara (IRE) by Dylan Thomas
- Owner
- Simon Smode
- Foaled
- 16 Mar 2022
- Stable
- Lambourn, Berks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 13 runs (0%)
- Trainer running to form
- 33%
- Ratings
- Perf 112
Tristan Durrell
Dan Skelton 19/88
- Sire
- Passing Glance (GB)
- Dam
- River Arrow (GB) by Kayf Tara
- Owner
- Tell Your Friends
- Foaled
- 9 Apr 2022
- Stable
- Alcester, Warwicks
- Trainer last 14 days
- 19 wins from 88 runs (22%)
Harry Cobden
Thomas Cooper 1/3
New Grange arrives unbeaten in his last two starts, winning last time out and again two starts back, and he has run on today's going before. Carrying 156 lb is a stiff ask and 53 days off is a slight query, but our rating of 118 ranks him first of 11.
- Sire
- Walk In The Park (IRE)
- Dam
- Mrs Thatcher (IRE) by Presenting
- Owner
- A Brooks
- Foaled
- 22 Apr 2022
- Stable
- Tralee, Co Kerry
- Trainer last 14 days
- 1 wins from 3 runs (33%)
- Trainer running to form
- 59%
- Ratings
- Perf 118
Bryan Carver
Harry Fry 0/8
Par Avion arrives in good heart, a winner last time out, a runner-up two starts back, and a fourth three starts back, and he's fresh enough after 18 days. He has run over today's trip, but 156 lb is a hefty burden, and our rating of 106 ranks him only sixth of 11.
- Sire
- Crystal Ocean (GB)
- Dam
- Fairey Delta (GB) by Milan
- Owner
- Exors Of The Late Lady Cobham
- Foaled
- 27 Mar 2021
- Stable
- Corscombe, Dorset
- Trainer last 14 days
- 0 wins from 8 runs (0%)
- Trainer running to form
- 54%
- Ratings
- Perf 106
Caoilin Quinn
Jamie Moore & Josh Moore 5/32
Parisian Fair won last time out and has run over today's trip and on this going, making him a leading threat under 156 lb. The one concern is a 133-day absence, so fitness is the main risk, though our 109 rating ranks him third of eleven.
- Sire
- Way To Paris (GB)
- Dam
- Sweet Fairnando (GB) by Hernando
- Owner
- Jane Davis And Sara Mould
- Foaled
- 27 Feb 2022
- Trainer last 14 days
- 5 wins from 32 runs (16%)
- Trainer running to form
- 46%
- Ratings
- Perf 109
Theo Gillard
Donald McCain 3/26
- Sire
- Postponed (IRE)
- Dam
- Elena Sue (GB) by Zamindar
- Owner
- Miss Abbie McCain
- Foaled
- 22 Mar 2022
- Stable
- Cholmondeley, Cheshire
- Trainer last 14 days
- 3 wins from 26 runs (12%)
Kielan Woods
Fergal O'Brien 4/30
Sixth last time out, and a winner two starts back after a faller three starts back, so the form is patchy, and he carries 156 lb at a rating that ranks him tenth of eleven. In his favour, he has run over today's trip and is fresh enough after 24 days.
- Sire
- Crystal Ocean (GB)
- Dam
- Katie's Willow (IRE) by Beneficial
- Owner
- Mark Liz Thomas
- Foaled
- 27 May 2021
- Stable
- Withington, Gloucs
- Trainer last 14 days
- 4 wins from 30 runs (13%)
- Trainer running to form
- 33%
- Ratings
- Perf 91
Draw in brackets. Headgear: b blinkers, v visor, h hood, t tongue strap, p cheekpieces, e/s eye shield; ¹ first time. C course winner, D distance winner, CD course and distance winner. Form reads oldest to newest.