Sport : Horse Racing

Racecard

Cheltenham - Wed 2nd May 2012
17:00 17:35 18:10 18:45 19:20 19:50 20:20

18:10 Hunt Staff Benefit Society Hunters' Chase 3m 1f 110y
Weighed In - (Class 4), £5,500 added, 6yo+, 9 runners
Winner £3,431 2nd £1,064 3rd £532 4th £266
Going: Soft Surface: Turf
Winning distances: Always be involved in the finish!

Result
Full result

Weighed In
Winning time: 6m 57.10s
Off time: 18:11:10

Pos	Horse	Odds
1st	Coombe Hill	9/2
2nd	Massimo (FR)	12/1
3rd	Shoudhavenownbettr (IRE)	8/1

No	Form	Horse	A	Wgt	Jockey	Trainer	OR	SP
1	U11122-	Coombe Hill 20	11	12-0	Mr D Edwards (3)	Miss C Tizzard	112	9/2
2	337141-	James Pine (IRE) 10	13	12-0	Ms Annabel Roberts (7)	Mrs A Brook	101	25/1
3	2/331F2-	Massimo (FR) 38	12	12-0	Mr R G Henderson (3)	Mrs A Davis	114	12/1
4	33/3112-	Openditch (FR) 11	10	12-0	Mr M Wilesmith (7)	Mrs C Wilesmith	100	28/1
5	620052-	Oranger (FR) 19	10	12-0	Mr J Martin (7)	Mrs J Martin	83	40/1
6	P/21111-	Rumbury Grey 15	9	12-0	Mr R Jarrett (3)	S Flook	122	4/6
7	P61131-	Shoudhavenownbettr (IRE) 23	8	12-0 v	Mr D Mansell	Mrs J Mansell	111	8/1
8	269213-	Special Occasion 23	8	12-0 p1	Miss S L Gould (7)	Miss S L Gould	115	20/1
9	F4U1P2-	The General Lee (IRE) 17	10	12-0	Miss L Brooke (5)	Phillip Rowley	104	25/1

Verdict

Veteran James Pine runs in this race for the fifth year running and was successful in 2008. He also finished ahead of Oranger in 2010 but was a well-beaten fifth last year and is probably on the downgrade now. Openditch has been a good servant down the years and has been in grand form between the flags lately, as has Shouldhavenownbettr who won his latest start at Paxford. Coombe Hill stays well and chased home the useful Turko at Newton Abbot last time but it's difficult to oppose RUMBURY GREY here. He's already racked up four wins under Rules this year and Robert Jarrett's mount jumps well enough to suggest he'll have no problem negotiating these stiff fences.

Formwatch

Coombe Hill 11-4 (11-13) Chased leading trio, hit 12th, went 3rd after 13th, ridden before 16th, went 2nd after 4 out, no impression after next, 2nd of 8, 12l behind Turko (11-11) at Newton Abbot 3m 2f hts chs (6) gd in Apr.

James Pine (IRE) 5-2 (11-0) Jw; led 4; ro wl, won at Andoversford 3m ptp gs in Apr beating History Master (11-0) by 2 1/2l, 7 ran.

Massimo (FR) 2-1 (12-0) Ww; hdwy 15; led flat; hdd & no ex final 50yds, 2nd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Deb's Dasher (12-0) at Kilworthy 3m ptp gd in Mar.

Openditch (FR) 4-5 (12-3) Gd hdwy 14; hrd rdn 3 out; nt qckn flat, 2nd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Murphys Fusilier (12-0) at Chaddesley Corbett 3m ptp gd in Apr.

Oranger (FR) 22-1 (11-7) Tracked leader, led 5th, headed 9th, lost place 12th, rallied next, ridden and every chance last, no extra closing stages, 2nd of 4, 4 1/2l behind Special Portrait (12-5) at Sedgefield 3m 3f hts chs (6) gs in Apr.

Rumbury Grey 1-2fav (11-13) Led and disputed until hit 12th and headed, led again before 4 out, in command next, soon came clear, easily, won at Exeter 3m nov hts chs (6) gd in Apr beating Benedictus (11-3) by 21l, 6 ran.

Shoudhavenownbettr (IRE) 4-6 (12-0) Led to 4; outpcd 3 out; rallied bet last 2; led cl home, won at Paxford 3m ptp gd in Apr beating Qozak (12-0) by 1 1/4l, 4 ran.

Special Occasion 4-1 (12-0) (cp) nvr on terms, 3rd of 8, 26l behind Mustangsallyrally (12-0) at Kingston St Mary 3m ptp gs in Apr.

The General Lee (IRE) (11-7) Hdwy 7; led 13-14; one pce 3 out, 2nd of 6, 10l behind Swift Counsel (11-7) at Tabley 3m ptp gd in Apr.