Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) – Cheltenham

Cheltenham

14:55

Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Date 2023-11-18

Distance 2m7f208y

Class Class 2

Going Soft

Type Hurdle

Surface Turf

Age Band 4yo+

Prize £15,609

Runners (15)

EW Terms: 3 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
1	Buddy One Bay J:Jack G Gilligan(7) T:Paul John Gilligan	J:Jack G Gilligan(7) T:Paul John Gilligan	168	—	32-431	147	150	128	21d	—	—	+7	31.5	0.69/1	11/4 27%
Clearcut winner when upped to 2m6f (soft) three weeks ago; reliable and highly progressive
10	Placenet Bay J:Jack Tudor T:David Pipe	J:Jack Tudor T:David Pipe	145	t	142124	124	152	-	71d	—	—	+15	34.2	0.83/1	10/3 23%
8-18 in France; going beyond 2m6f for first time may well suit; also looks on a good mark
6	Judicial Law Bay J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo O'Neill	J:Jonjo O'Neill Jr T:Jonjo O'Neill	154	p	113312	133	147	137	21d	—	—	+27	41.2	1.38/1	11/2 15%
Strong-finishing second of 20 over C&D latest; up another 3lb but probably in the shake-up
2	Chantry House Brown J:Nico de Boinville T:Nicky Henderson	J:Nico de Boinville T:Nicky Henderson	168	—	1P/UF-	147	148	-	327d	—	—	+17	26.9	2.13/1	17/2 11%
Classy chaser; heavy fall Boxing Day 2022 when last seen; last hurdles run was March 2020
11	Moka De Vassy Bay J:David Noonan T:Jane Williams	J:David Noonan T:Jane Williams	144	p	3FP-53	123	148	87	25d	—	—	+11	20.9	2.25/1	10 10%
Surged back to form when close third of ten in handicap at Exeter (2m7f, good) last time
9	Real Steel Bay J:Danny Mullins T:E McNamara	J:Danny Mullins T:E McNamara	147	p	10P-46	126	-	-	27d	—	—	+15	20.4	3.75/1	16 6%
Won a top 3m handicap chase at Leopardstown last Christmas; first hurdle race since 2018
4	Shan Blue Bay J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton	J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton	161	—	F62/P-	140	147	-	327d	—	—	+19	23.9	3.75/1	16 6%
Big-race entries over fences next month; questions on first hurdles run since March 2020
12	Polish Bay J:Liam Harrison T:Fergal O'Brien	J:Liam Harrison T:Fergal O'Brien	143	p	/22222	122	147	134	60d	—	—	+28	32.7	4.75/1	20 5%
Runner-up on all five starts this term; this race promises to be a bit too competitive
14	The Newest One Bay J:James Turner(7) T:Nigel Twiston-Davies	J:James Turner(7) T:Nigel Twiston-Davies	142	—	5P223-	121	148	127	231d	—	—	+23	27.7	3.75/1	16 6%
Needs to improve on last season's hurdles form; best efforts on good or good to soft
8	Come On Teddy Bay J:Jonathan Burke T:Tom George	J:Jonathan Burke T:Tom George	153	—	/152P/	132	-	-	611d	—	—	+22	26.7	6.00/1	25 4%
Did well over 3m here as a hurdler three seasons back; absent since March 2022
5	Minella Trump Bay J:Kielan Woods T:Donald McCain	J:Kielan Woods T:Donald McCain	158	—	1/170-	137	142	104	217d	—	—	+26	29.6	6.75/1	28 4%
Well treated on best chase efforts but still has plenty to prove, notably on soft ground
13	Noble Birth Bay J:Conor McNamara T:E McNamara	J:Conor McNamara T:E McNamara	142	tp	909-P2	121	146	93	14d	—	—	+16	18.5	8.00/1	33 3%
Back-to-form second two weeks ago; cheekpieces today; peak efforts on good or good to soft
3	Dartan Grey J:James Smith(7) T:Matthew J Smith	J:James Smith(7) T:Matthew J Smith	163	tb	10-171	142	146	112	—	—	—	+21	23.7	9.75/1	40 3%
Did well this summer; however, well beaten in his three Irish runs on soft or heavy
7	Walking On Glass Brown J:Aidan Kelly(5) T:Padraig Roche	J:Aidan Kelly(5) T:Padraig Roche	154	p	P-8924	133	146	103	30d	—	—	+19	21.5	16.25/1	66 2%
7-53 overall and he's proved himself thoroughly at about 3m on testing ground; needs extra
15	Hunting Percival Bay J:James Best T:Syd Hosie	J:James Best T:Syd Hosie	142	t	12P153	121	138	123	68d	—	—	+26	26.5	49.75/1	200 1%
Inconsistent, with more to prove on worse than good to soft; also 8lb out of the handicap

Horse	bet365	William Hill	Unibet	Boyle Sports	Ladbrokes
Buddy One	3	11/4	11/4	11/4	5/2
Placenet	10/3	10/3	10/3	10/3	10/3
Judicial Law	11/2	11/2	5	11/2	11/2
Chantry House	15/2	8	17/2	8	15/2
Moka De Vassy	9	9	9	10	10
Real Steel	16	16	16	16	16
Shan Blue	16	14	16	16	16
Polish	20	18	16	18	18
The Newest One	14	16	14	14	14
Come On Teddy	22	22	25	22	22
Minella Trump	28	28	22	28	28
Noble Birth	33	33	33	33	33
Dartan	40	40	33	40	40
Walking On Glass	66	40	28	50	50
Hunting Percival	200	125	150	150	125

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Judicial Law

41.2

OR: 20.8 Form: 16.4 Odds: 4

11/2

2nd

Placenet

34.2

OR: 18.5 Form: 10 Odds: 5.7

10/3

3rd

Polish

32.7

OR: 18 Form: 13.5 Odds: 1.2

Buddy One

31.5

OR: 24.3 Form: 0 Odds: 7.3

11/4

Minella Trump

29.6

OR: 21.8 Form: 7 Odds: 0.9

The Newest One

27.7

OR: 17.8 Form: 8.6 Odds: 1.4

Chantry House

26.9

OR: 24.3 Form: 0 Odds: 2.7

17/2

Come On Teddy

26.7

OR: 20.5 Form: 5 Odds: 1.2

Hunting Percival

26.5

OR: 17.8 Form: 8.6 Odds: 0.2

200

Shan Blue

23.9

OR: 22.5 Form: 0 Odds: 1.4

Dartan

23.7

OR: 23 Form: 0 Odds: 0.7

Walking On Glass

21.5

OR: 20.8 Form: 0 Odds: 0.7

Moka De Vassy

20.9

OR: 18.3 Form: 0 Odds: 2.7

Real Steel

20.4

OR: 19 Form: 0 Odds: 1.4

Noble Birth

18.5

OR: 17.8 Form: 0 Odds: 0.7

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Buddy One	147	150	128
Chantry House	147	148	—
Dartan	142	146	112
Shan Blue	140	147	—
Minella Trump	137	142	104
Judicial Law	133	147	137
Walking On Glass	133	146	103
Come On Teddy	132	—	—
Real Steel	126	—	—
Placenet	124	152	—
Moka De Vassy	123	148	87
Polish	122	147	134
The Newest One	121	148	127
Noble Birth	121	146	93
Hunting Percival	121	138	123

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Noble Birth	14d ago	Fit
Buddy One	21d ago	Fit
Judicial Law	21d ago	Fit
Moka De Vassy	25d ago	Fit
Real Steel	27d ago	Fit
Walking On Glass	30d ago	Fit
Polish	60d ago	Fresh
Hunting Percival	68d ago	Fresh
Placenet	71d ago	Fresh
Minella Trump	217d ago	Long break
The Newest One	231d ago	Long break
Chantry House	327d ago	Long break
Shan Blue	327d ago	Long break
Come On Teddy	611d ago	Long break
Dartan	—	—