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Formscan  - UNEXPECTED PARTY looks qualified to provide Dan Skelton with a first success in this valuable early-season highlight. The Alcester handler has saddled placed horses in each of the last two renewals and has been bullish over the chances of his slick-jumping eight-year-old, who impressed when defeating the highly-regarded Knappers Hill (impressive winner since) on his seasonal return at Chepstow. There is clearly more to come and a mark of 146 looks there to be exploited on soft ground which should prove ideal. The Real Whacker proved himself a chaser of the highest quality during an unbeaten novice campaign (all three wins coming at Cheltenham) and has to be considered on his reappearance, despite the poor record of top-weights in the race, whilst fellow returnee Stage Star also looks a potential Grade 1 talent who has to go on any shortlist.

1
111-
Head to Head

In the last 3 years The Real Whacker (IRE) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Harper's Brook (IRE)1
1st Jan 2023 Cheltenham(2m 4f 127yds, Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) The Real Whacker (IRE) 1st (10/1 11-5 Rated 139) Sam Twiston-Davies 50.38L in front of Harper's Brook (IRE) 5th (13/2 11-2 Rated 134) Luca Morgan (5 ran)
sp
2
115-
Stage Star (IRE) 7,b g 11-7

Fame And Glory (GB)-Sparky May(Midnight Legend)

(219) cd1 (Owners Group 044)
Rated 155

Head to Head

In the last 3 years Stage Star (IRE) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Unexpected Party (FR)2
16th Mar 2023 Cheltenham(2m 3f 168yds, Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Stage Star (IRE) 1st (15/2 11-7 Rated 152) Harry Cobden 8.50L in front of Unexpected Party (FR) 5th (100/1 11-7 Rated 138) Harry Skelton (7 ran)
sp
28th Jan 2023 Cheltenham(2m 4f 127yds, Hcap Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Stage Star (IRE) 1st (11/4Fav 12-0 Rated 142) Harry Cobden 13.75L in front of Unexpected Party (FR) 3rd (11/1 11-12 Rated 140) Harry Skelton (11 ran)
sp
Notlongtillmay (GB)1
16th Mar 2023 Cheltenham(2m 3f 168yds, Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Stage Star (IRE) 1st (15/2 11-7 Rated 152) Harry Cobden 3.25L in front of Notlongtillmay (GB) 2nd (40/1 11-7 Rated 142) Adam Wedge (7 ran)
sp
3
225-
Head to Head

In the last 3 years Fugitif (FR) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Il Ridoto (FR)2
16th Mar 2023 Cheltenham(2m 4f 127yds, Hcap Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Fugitif (FR) 2nd (11/1 11-6 Rated 149) Sean Bowen 7.28L in front of Il Ridoto (FR) 6th (7/1 11-3 Rated 146) Harry Cobden (23 ran)
sp
28th Jan 2023 Cheltenham(2m 4f 127yds, Hcap Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Il Ridoto (FR) 1st (9/2 10-12 Rated 138) Harry Cobden 1.00L in front of Fugitif (FR) 2nd (7/2Fav 11-3 Rated 143) G Sheehan (16 ran)
sp
4
6-24
Authorized Art (FR) 8,b g 11-5

Authorized (IRE)-Rock Art(Rock Of Gibraltar)

(59) d3 (Mr Joshua Moore)
Rated 151

Head to Head

In the last 3 years Authorized Art (FR) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Final Orders (GB)1
2nd Aug 2023 Galway(2m 6f 111yds, Hcap Chase, Yielding Flat; Good to Yielding NH) Authorized Art (FR) 2nd (14/1 10-5 Rated 146) D E Mullins 65.88L in front of Final Orders (GB) 18th (14/1 10-8 Rated 149) S W Flanagan (22 ran)
sp
5
12-4
Notlongtillmay (GB) 7,b g 11-4

Malinas (GER)-Tara Croft(Kayf Tara)

(21) d2 (Mr Alan Rogers)
Rated 152

Head to Head

In the last 3 years Notlongtillmay (GB) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Unexpected Party (FR)1
16th Mar 2023 Cheltenham(2m 3f 168yds, Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Notlongtillmay (GB) 2nd (40/1 11-7 Rated 142) Adam Wedge 5.25L in front of Unexpected Party (FR) 5th (100/1 11-7 Rated 138) Harry Skelton (7 ran)
sp
Stage Star (IRE)1
16th Mar 2023 Cheltenham(2m 3f 168yds, Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Stage Star (IRE) 1st (15/2 11-7 Rated 152) Harry Cobden 3.25L in front of Notlongtillmay (GB) 2nd (40/1 11-7 Rated 142) Adam Wedge (7 ran)
sp
6
-014
Head to Head

In the last 3 years Final Orders (GB) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Authorized Art (FR)1
2nd Aug 2023 Galway(2m 6f 111yds, Hcap Chase, Yielding Flat; Good to Yielding NH) Authorized Art (FR) 2nd (14/1 10-5 Rated 146) D E Mullins 65.88L in front of Final Orders (GB) 18th (14/1 10-8 Rated 149) S W Flanagan (22 ran)
sp
Il Ridoto (FR)1
14th Apr 2023 Aintree(2m 5f 19yds, Hcap Chase, Soft) Il Ridoto (FR) pulled up (16/1 11-3 Rated 146) Harry Cobden Final Orders (GB) fell (14/1 11-7 Rated 150) K M Donoghue (29 ran)
sp
7
53-1
Head to Head

In the last 3 years Unexpected Party (FR) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Stage Star (IRE)2
16th Mar 2023 Cheltenham(2m 3f 168yds, Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Stage Star (IRE) 1st (15/2 11-7 Rated 152) Harry Cobden 8.50L in front of Unexpected Party (FR) 5th (100/1 11-7 Rated 138) Harry Skelton (7 ran)
sp
28th Jan 2023 Cheltenham(2m 4f 127yds, Hcap Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Stage Star (IRE) 1st (11/4Fav 12-0 Rated 142) Harry Cobden 13.75L in front of Unexpected Party (FR) 3rd (11/1 11-12 Rated 140) Harry Skelton (11 ran)
sp
Notlongtillmay (GB)1
16th Mar 2023 Cheltenham(2m 3f 168yds, Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Notlongtillmay (GB) 2nd (40/1 11-7 Rated 142) Adam Wedge 5.25L in front of Unexpected Party (FR) 5th (100/1 11-7 Rated 138) Harry Skelton (7 ran)
sp
8
16P-
Il Ridoto (FR) 6,b g 10-10

Kapgarde (FR)-L'exploratrice(Trempolino)

ts+cp4(218) c1 (Giles, Hogarth, Mason, McGoff & Fergus)
Rated 144

Head to Head

In the last 3 years Il Ridoto (FR) has met

HorseNo. Of times
Final Orders (GB)1
14th Apr 2023 Aintree(2m 5f 19yds, Hcap Chase, Soft) Il Ridoto (FR) pulled up (16/1 11-3 Rated 146) Harry Cobden Final Orders (GB) fell (14/1 11-7 Rated 150) K M Donoghue (29 ran)
sp
Fugitif (FR)2
16th Mar 2023 Cheltenham(2m 4f 127yds, Hcap Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Fugitif (FR) 2nd (11/1 11-6 Rated 149) Sean Bowen 7.28L in front of Il Ridoto (FR) 6th (7/1 11-3 Rated 146) Harry Cobden (23 ran)
sp
28th Jan 2023 Cheltenham(2m 4f 127yds, Hcap Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) Il Ridoto (FR) 1st (9/2 10-12 Rated 138) Harry Cobden 1.00L in front of Fugitif (FR) 2nd (7/2Fav 11-3 Rated 143) G Sheehan (16 ran)
sp
9
111-
Whistleinthedark (IRE) 8,b g 10-10

Fame And Glory (GB)-Last of Many(Lahib)

(205) d1 (The Stagger Inn)
Rated 144

10
P2-2
Angels Breath (IRE) 9,gr g 10-10

Shantou (USA)-Mystic Masie(Turgeon)

(22) (Mr Stephen Clarke)
Rated 144

11
P11-
Black Gerry (IRE) 8,b g 10-8

Westerner (GB)-Triptoshan(Anshan)

(222) d1 (Mrs M Devine)
Rated 142

14
5P2-
Harper's Brook (IRE) 7,b g 10-2

Ask (GB)-Un Jour D Ete(Dano-Mast)

ts3(203) d4 (The Megsons)
Rated 134

Head to Head

In the last 3 years Harpers Brook (IRE) has met

HorseNo. Of times
The Real Whacker (IRE)1
1st Jan 2023 Cheltenham(2m 4f 127yds, Chase, Soft (Good to Soft in places)) The Real Whacker (IRE) 1st (10/1 11-5 Rated 139) Sam Twiston-Davies 50.38L in front of Harper's Brook (IRE) 5th (13/2 11-2 Rated 134) Luca Morgan (5 ran)
sp

Symbols Explained

WS Wind Surgery ts2 Tongue Strap vs2 Visor hd2 Hood es2 Eye Shield ec2 Eye Cover cp2 Cheekpiece bl2 Blinkers tt2 Tongue Tie bo2 Blinkers one cowl e2 Ear Plugs p2 Pacifier pc2 Pacifier with cowls ps2 Pacifier one cowl sr2 Shadow Roll co2 Cheekpiece one side sb2 Sheepskin Browband cc2 Cornell Collar xb2 Crossed Nose Band cd2 Course and Distance Winner c2 Course Winner d2 Distance Winner bf Beaten Favourite on Last Run

The superscript number on headgear bl2 indicates number of times worn. A plus bl+ indicates more than 10 times where as red background bl1indicates first time.

Trainer/Jockey In Form last 21 days

Trainer/Jockey
Wins
Runs
%
Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden
3
22
13

Paul Nicholls/Freddie Gingell
2
3
66

Miss Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch
2
19
10

B Pauling/Kielan Woods
2
3
66

W P Mullins/D E Mullins
1
19
5

For Trainer/Jockeys in this race

Trainers In Form last 21 days

Trainer
Wins
Runs
%
W P Mullins
22
121
18

Paul Nicholls
12
92
13

B Pauling
9
38
23

G L Moore
5
51
9

Gavin Patrick Cromwell
4
62
6

Nigel Twiston-Davies
4
36
11

Patrick Neville
3
13
23

Miss Venetia Williams
3
25
12

Sam Thomas
2
10
20

L J Morgan
2
14
14

Richard Hobson
1
5
20

For Trainers in this race

Jockeys In Form last 21 days

Jockey
Wins
Runs
%
Tom Bellamy
14
51
27

Harry Cobden
8
48
16

J J Burke
8
44
18

Sam Twiston-Davies
6
51
11

G Sheehan
5
49
10

Harry Skelton
5
45
11

Kielan Woods
3
27
11

Charlie Deutsch
3
27
11

Freddie Gingell
3
12
25

K Brogan
2
24
8

D J Gilligan
2
14
14

D E Mullins
1
35
2

For Jockeys in this race

NH Trainer Stats for Cheltenham

Trainer
Wins
Runs
%
Paul Nicholls
122
1031
12

W P Mullins
114
956
12

Nigel Twiston-Davies
71
786
9

Dan Skelton
44
450
10

Miss Venetia Williams
22
383
6

Gavin Patrick Cromwell
20
138
14

B Pauling
14
238
6

G L Moore
13
199
7

Sam Thomas
3
41
7

Patrick Neville
3
20
15

Richard Hobson
1
60
2

L J Morgan
0
23
0

For Trainers in this race

NH Trainer Stats for Cheltenham

Jockey
Wins
Runs
%
Sam Twiston-Davies
73
761
10

Harry Skelton
64
483
13

Harry Cobden
48
402
12

G Sheehan
20
233
9

J J Burke
16
218
7

Charlie Deutsch
16
179
9

Adam Wedge
11
131
8

D E Mullins
9
155
6

Tom Bellamy
9
128
7

Kielan Woods
8
110
7

J E Moore
7
153
5

D J Gilligan
5
27
19

Freddie Gingell
2
30
7

K Brogan
1
27
4

For Jockeys in this race

Course Form for Cheltenham

Horse
Wins
Runs
The Real Whacker (IRE)
3
4
Stage Star (IRE)
2
3
Fugitif (FR)
0
3
Notlongtillmay (GB)
0
2
Final Orders (GB)
0
1
Unexpected Party (FR)
0
4
Il Ridoto (FR)
1
5
Angels Breath (IRE)
0
2
Torn And Frayed (FR)
1
4
Harper's Brook (IRE)
0
3