1.45 1m. 7f. 150yds. 14 Declared. Navan Ford & Opel M'dn H'dle of €12,500.00 5-y-o plus
1st - €7,500.00 2nd - €2,500.00 3rd - €1,250.00 4th - €625.00 5th - €375.00 6th - €250.00
FormscanBy Tom Weekes - GAUCHER contests a useful maiden on jumps debut but holds a Supreme Novices-entry with connections presumably hoping to meet the qualifying standard. By Frankel and out of a Dubawi mare, he was a E260,000 purchase in November 2022 having won two French middle-distance races including once at Longchamp, and while he runs in a first-time tongue-tie and wears his usual hood, is one of his trainer's 23 entries for Cheltenham's opener. Ascending finished fifth in last season's Triumph Hurdle and while he is reliable, race-fit and his form is in hot races, has nonetheless been beaten in three maidens and is vulnerable to a smarter type. Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Helvic Dream has run two satisfactory races over hurdles but needs to improve to win while Angostura showed good form at Boulta in December but faces a tough task and notably skips bumpers. Claude Du Val is a half-brother to four French winners and is by Teahuppo's sire.
A hurdle for five years old and upwards, maidens at startingWeights - 11st 12lbs Mares allowed 7lbs