Cheltenham

squareintheair.com Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Distance: 1m7f199y

Going: Good To Soft

Prize: £52,030

Runners: 9

Winning time: 3m 52.78s (slow by 0.78s)

Age: 4yo+

Class: Class 2

5 Calico

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

Age: 9

Weight: 10st 10lbs

OR: 142

SP: 5/1

Prominent - disputed lead 4th - led clearly 4th - hit 3 out - pushed along 2 out - ridden and ran on well run-in(tchd 11/2)

2 7

7 Jasko Des Dames

J: Darragh O'Keeffe

T: Henry De Bromhead

Age: 6

Weight: 10st 4lbs

OR: 136

SP: 9/4F

Prominent - went second after 3 out - 4 lengths down last - weakened gradually run-in(op 5/2)

3 ¾ 7¾

3 Brookie

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Anthony Honeyball

Age: 8

Weight: 11st 3lbs

OR: 149

SP: 7/1

Midfield - jumped right 3rd - headway after 3 out - went third 2 out - kept on run-in(op 11/1)

4 5½ 13¼

8 Traprain Law

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Age: 7

Weight: 10st 2lbs

OR: 134

SP: 15/2

Led - headed and prominent 2nd - outpaced and lost position 4 out - kept on and went fourth 2 out - soon no impression(op 13/2)

5 2½ 15¾

2 Unexpected Party

J: Harry Atkins(7)

T: Dan Skelton

Age: 10

Weight: 11st 3lbs

OR: 149

SP: 16/1

Held up in rear - headway before last - ran on run-in - never near to challenge (jockey said - regarding running and riding - his instructions were to sit in behind on the second row and let the gelding enjoy his jumping and achieve the best possible placing - he went on to explain that gelding was flat out from the start and that he was squeezing the gelding along throughout the race and keeping the bit high up in the horse's mouth - he further stated that he did not want to ask the gelding for any more of an effort to make up ground on the leaders as he felt that he would not finish the race off well and that he felt he had asked for maximum effort having jumped the second last; trainer confirmed that these were the instructions given; vet reported that aside from a small wound to the right-fore heel that gelding had no other abnormalities)(op 22/1 tchd 14/1)

6 3¾ 19½

9 Dr T J Eckleburg

J: Conor Ring

T: Evan Williams

Age: 7

Weight: 10st 2lbs

OR: 134

SP: 40/1

In rear throughout

7 7½ 27

1 Matata

J: J J Slevin

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Age: 7

Weight: 12st 0lbs

OR: 160

SP: 11/4

Prominent - led 2nd - joined 4th - slow jump and lost position 6th - lost second after 3 out - weakened 2 out(op 5/2 tchd 9/4)

6 Third Time Lucki

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Fergal O'Brien

Age: 10

Weight: 10st 5lbs

OR: 137

SP: 14/1

In touch with leaders - pulled up just after 7th (water) - fatally injured(op 10/1 tchd 16/1)

4 Uncle Phil

J: Harry Cobden

T: Chester Williams

Age: 8

Weight: 10st 13lbs

OR: 145

SP: 40/1

Took keen hold - always behind - mistake 3 out - pulled up 2 out(op 25/1)

Betting breakdown

Tote win: £6

Tote place: £2 £1.30 £2.20

Exacta: £17.90

Trifecta: £114.90

Tricast: £77.36

CSF: £17.47