| Course: CHELTENHAM | Race date:15/03/06 | Race time:2:35 | Runners:15 |
| Race distance:3m½f | Going:Good | Winners time:6m 9.20s |
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Stall | Weight | Age | RPR | OR | Odds | B High | B Ave | B Low | In run | Finished | Dist Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star De Mohaison | B J Geraghty | P F Nicholls | 10-8 | 5 | 147 | 143 | 14/1 | 20 | 14.2 | 4 | 1.01 | 1 | ||
| Idle Talk | Jason Maguire | T R George | 11-4 | 7 | 149 | 0 | 33/1 | 80 | 43.04 | 11 | 1.3 | 2 | 6 | |
| Darkness | P J Brennan | C R Egerton | 11-4 | 7 | 143 | 154 | 11/2 | 8.6 | 6.5 | 2.48 | 1.8 | 3 | 11 | |
| Lord Killeshanra | Joe Tizzard | C L Tizzard | 11-4 | 7 | 136 | 130 | 66/1 | 260 | 89.25 | 19 | 32 | 4 | 4 | |
| Zabenz | Richard Johnson | P J Hobbs | 11-4 | 9 | 132 | 0 | 12/1 | 21 | 13.62 | 3.95 | 2.56 | 5 | 4 | |
| Bewleys Berry | G Lee | J Howard Johnson | 11-4 | 8 | 132 | 0 | 11/1 | 18.5 | 11.81 | 3.85 | 1.3 | 6 | 6 | |
| The Railway Man | D N Russell | A L T Moore | 11-4 | 7 | 114 | 0 | 12/1 | 20 | 13.36 | 3.75 | 2.18 | 7 | 10 | |
| Back In Front | P W Flood | E J O´Grady | 11-4 | 9 | 149 | 0 | 11/1 | 18 | 11.95 | 3.8 | 2.02 | UR | ||
| Ardaghey | Carl Llewellyn | N A Twiston-Davies | 11-4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 33/1 | 70 | 35.72 | 8.2 | 6.2 | UR | ||
| Lough Derg | Tom Scudamore | M C Pipe | 11-4 | 6 | 0 | 146 | 33/1 | 70 | 36.38 | 7.4 | 6 | PU | ||
| Commercial Flyer | Timmy Murphy | M C Pipe | 11-4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 9/2F | 6.4 | 5.45 | 1.82 | 2 | PU | ||
| Chopneyev | Tony Dobbin | R T Phillips | 11-4 | 8 | 0 | 127 | 100/1 | 970 | 411.18 | 55 | 50 | PU | ||
| Bold Bishop | A P McCoy | Jonjo O´Neill | 11-4 | 9 | 147 | 146 | 12/1 | 23 | 13.28 | 4 | 1.5 | UR | ||
| Our Ben | R Walsh | W P Mullins | 11-4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7/1 | 9.2 | 6.91 | 2.16 | 5 | UR | ||
| The Listener | Andrew Thornton | R H Alner | 11-4 | 7 | 140 | 0 | 6/1 | 11 | 7.35 | 2.5 | 2.42 | F |
All credit, however, to STAR DE MOHAISON, who lacked the profile of an obvious candidate but gave his elders a lesson in jumping as he galloped to a clear-cut success. His two wins over fences were in ordinary company, and he had been only third to The Listener when his sights were raised in the Dipper Chase here. However, he relished the drying ground, moved to the front at the top of the hill with four to jump, and he looked to have Back In Front's measure when he was left five or six lengths clear two out. While his success may reopen the debate about the allowance five-year-olds receive - at this distance it's 10lb - this wouldn't be the strongest SunAlliance form by a long way and, in any case, it was his jumping that won him the race as much as the weight he received. He doesn't particularly appeal as a Gold Cup winner - his stamina wasn't guaranteed here, and he'll have it to prove again over two furlongs further - and there's unlikely to be a rush for the general 20-1 or 25-1.
Back In Front was joint favourite for last year's Champion Hurdle, having won a Supreme Novices' and a Bula, so while his inexperience was a worry after just one easy win over fences he had the requisite natural ability if he jumped all right and got the trip. He made just one real mistake - at the sixth - and was upsides the winner three out, looking a big danger. But he was being ridden and was the best part of two lengths down when he sprawled badly on landing over the second-last, giving his rider no chance of staying on board. There will be another day for him, but not necessarily over as far as this.
Bewleys Berry, eventually well beaten in sixth, was only three lengths down and disputing third, though under pressure, when he blundered and was hampered at the same fence. He ran much better than his finishing position suggests and could win a nice race this spring.
Bold Bishop, trying a new trip, was in fifth place, around nine lengths down on the winner, when he unseated his rider when swerving to avoid trouble at the same fence. He was staying on, having been outpaced, and might have been placed.
Idle Talk ran a blinder in second, but he was off the bridle a long way out and it was his ability to keep galloping that got him so close. He might well have won the four-miler, but connections were understandably delighted with this. They see him as a Grand National horse, and he may well be one.
Darkness went into the race with the strongest form, but he has looked a bit iffy on occasions and his trainer admits it's all in the head. He made a series of mistakes and was last of the horses left standing as they came down the hill, but he kept galloping and passed horse after horse to snatch third on the run-in. However, while it looked as if he was making ground hand over fist, close examination with a stopwatch reveals he gained only four or five lengths on the winner from two out. He did extraordinarily well to finish third after jumping so poorly and has no end of ability, but he is one to have reservations about.
Lord Killeshanra plugged on for a modest fourth after a blunder four out. He was no danger from that point but ran about as well as he was entitled to.
Zabenz was hampered at the first and wasn't really a factor on the second circuit, and The Railway Man was even further behind.
The well-fancied Our Ben, third in last year's SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle, unseated his rider at the third. Favourite Commercial Flyer made a mistake at the same fence when held up in rear, and he had no chance when pulled up and dismounted after losing his action approaching four out. This was a very disappointing effort from a horse who proved himself an exceptionally tough novice hurdler and had impressed on his chasing debut, but his jumping was a factor and it emerged he had lost a shoe. [GD]
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