Derek O’Connor Celebrates Aboard Zemsky In 2011

Friday 15th March 2013
Cheltenham
3m 2½f
(Class 2)
5-years-old +
Channel 4

2012:

Report 1
Report 2

Details

Total prize fund £35000
Winner: £20986
Second: £6555
Third: £3276
Fourth: £1638
Fifth: £819
Sixth: £413

Weights: 5-y-o to carry 11st 13lb; 6-y-o and up to carry 12st
Mares Allowance: 7lb
Penalties: None
Note: Jockeys are unable to claim weight in this race

Key Trends Ahead Of The 2013 Renewal

• 22 of the last 27 winners won last time out.
• 14 of the last 15 horses placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd were all winners last time out.
• 20 of the last 23 winners had previously won under rules over 3 miles or further. Two exceptions (Rushing Wild, 1992 and Cappa Bleu, 2009) had never previously run under rules but had won over this distance in Point-to-Points. The other exception, Fantus in 1995, was beaten 3 lengths by the very useful Honest Word at Kempton in 1994 in a 3 mile Novices’ Chase.
• 20 of the last 22 winners were aged ten or younger. The two exceptions were Cavalero (2000) and Earthmover (2004)
• 21 of the last 24 winners came from a Point-to-Point/Hunter Chasing background. The three exceptions were Sleeping Night (2005), Amicelli (2008) and Baby Run (2010).
• 10 of the last 11 winners were within 35 days of their most recent run.
• 9 of the last 10 winners had run less than four times since the start of the Point-to-Point season. The exception was Zemsky (2011).
• 18 of the last 19 winners had previously won under rules. The exception was Cappa Bleu (2009).
• 10 of the last 11 winners (including the last 8) had run in less than 4 handicap chases. The exception was Earthmover (2004), who won the race either side of a handicap chasing career.
• 12 of the last 21 horses placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd were Irish-trained.
• 14 of the last 19 winners had won more than one chase under rules.

Eligibility

Since December 1st 2009 and before February 28th 2012 in Great Britain or Ireland, horses must have:

a) Been placed first or second on two occasions in a Hunter Chase,
b) Won two open races at Point-To-Point meetings
or
c) Won one open race at a Point-To-Point meeting and have been placed first or second in a Hunter Chase

Priority will be given to horses which have run under the rules of racing. It is recommended that horses qualifying should run in a Hunter Chase by March 9th (the day before the 6 day confirmations) in order to avoid elimination.

The BHA Head of Handicapping will reserve the right to grant a place to one wild card runner (to make the race as competitive as possible) if they are balloted out through a non-rules racing history. However, they still must must have met the qualification criteria detailed above.