Floressa looks value to get the better of Irish raider Minella Melody in the 2m 1f Grade 2 Daylesford Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle on Cheltenham Festival day 3 this Thursday (16:50).
This Nicky Henderson trained five-year-old was a smart bumper performer who created a good impression on hurdles debut at Worcester back in October when scoring easily by 19 lengths.
She was then an unlucky loser when beaten a short-head by Silver Forever in a decent class 2 contest at Newbury, as she dived at the last and then had to switch on the run-in.
Floressa then gained revenge on the Paul Nicholls trained winner in no uncertain fashion when landing a Listed affair also at Newbury by 1 1/2 lengths from Jeremy’s Flame.
After jumping slickly throughout on the heels of the leaders, Floressa moved effortlessly into contention to challenge going strongly under Nico de Boinville once over two out.
She was then ridden to take up the running at the last and found plenty on the run-in to comfortably fend off the challenge of the Irish raider.
The front two pulled 3 1/2 lengths clear of the third home Silver Forever.
Return to bigger field a plus on Cheltenham Festival day 3
The runner-up has since run well to chase home Fiddlerontheroof in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown, whilst Silver Forever sluiced up net time out by 6 1/2 lengths in a Listed contest.
Floressa was then not seen to best effect last time out in a Grade 2 at Doncaster in January when a three-length third of six to Lady Buttons, where she got hampered after the last in a race run at muddling pace.
She has since been given a break to keep her fresh for this and the return to a bigger field where she will get a stronger pace to aim at looks sure to suit.
Floressa also ran well on her sole previous visit to the track when runner-up in a bumper.
She also hails from a yard that is in fine form and has been among the winners here this week.
At 6/1 with Coral, Floressa thus looks well worth a wager in a wide-open looking renewal of the Daylesford.
Well-weighted Relegate the Pertemps punt
Having run a blinder last time out following a lengthy lay-off, Relegate looks on a potentially handy mark and the one to be on at 13/2 with BetVictor in the 3m Grade 3 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (15:10).
This seven-year-old mare was a very smart bumper performer in 2018 when in the care of Willie Mullins and winning three times.
In the last of those successes, Relegate came with a storming late run from off the pace to beat stable companion Carefully Selected by a neck in the 23-runner Grade 1 Champion Bumper at this meeting.
That race has thrown-up plenty of subsequent hurdle winners, including Felix Desy who came sixth and has since landed a Grade 1 at Aintree off a rating of 146 and finished second in the same grade at the Punchestown Festival off 151.
Things then didn’t go to plan for Relegate when sent hurdling the following season.
She got turned over at odds-on when second at Punchestown before scrambling to victory in a 25-runner maiden contest at Naas.
Relegate was, however, far from disgraced when a keeping on seven-length fifth of 17 to Commander Of Fleet in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown.
The daughter of Flemensfirth was then on the sidelines for 382 days, but showed that she retained plenty of ability on her first start for trainer Colm Murphy when a keeping on 6 1/2 lengths fourth of 16 to Mary Frances at Punchestown last month.
Relegate finished off strongly under tender handling having travelled well. leaving the impression that she was ahead of her mark.
A 5lb rise for that looks more than fair and she looks the potential handicap blot off a revised rating of 137, judged on the strength of her bumper form.
Deyrann De Carjac appeals each-way in Brown Advisory
In the 2m 4f Grade 3 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase (16:10), the Alan King trained Deyrann De Carjac looks weighted to go well and cracking each-way value at 16/1 with Betway who are paying five places.
This seven-year-old won his first two starts over fences in good style. In the second of those at Huntingdon, he stayed on well to beat Pym by 3 1/2 lengths.
The runner-up went on to land his next two races, including when beating Imperial Aura – an impressive winner here earlier in the week off 143 – by eight lengths at this venue to be rated 152.
Deyrann De Carjac then rah very well when a 6 1/2 lengths third to Champ in a Grade 2 at Newbury, before finishing a solid staying on two-length third to Midnight Shadow in the Dipper Novices’ Chase here over the trip of this off an official rating of 146.
The son of Balko now makes his handicap debut over the larger obstacles off 146. That looks exploitable, especially judged on his aforementioned win over Pym.
Deyrann De Carjac is also one from two over the trip, has proven form in soft ground and appeals as the type that should have more to offer now going down the handicap route.
He looks to have been laid out for this by King, who has a decent record with his runners in handicaps at this meeting.
So, at the odds on offer looks, Deyrann De Carjac overpriced and a big player under Tom Cannon, who has won and been placed twice on him in five starts.
Le Breuil weighted to strike on Cheltenham Festival day 3 in Kim Muir
Now back down to his last winning mark, Le Breuil makes plenty of appeal under Jamie Codd in the 3m 2f Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase that brings proceedings to a close on Cheltenham Festival day 3 (17:30).
This Ben Pauling trained eight-year-old developed into a smart novice chaser last season when winning twice and posting some solid efforts in defeat.
They included when third to subsequent RSA Chase runner-up and Gold Cup hope Santini in a Grade 2 at Newbury.
Le Breuil went on to enjoy his finest hour at this meeting when running out an ultra-game winner of the extended 3m 7f National Hunt Chase off an official rating of 145.
This son of Anxillero fought back tenaciously under crack amateur Codd to beat Discorama by half-a-length.
The runner-up ran a cracker when third in the Ultima here earlier in the week, so that gives the form a solid look.
Le Breuil then failed to shine on seasonal reappearance when pulled-up in a Grade 2 hurdle contest at Wetherby, but quickly left that run behind when switched back to fences and finishing seventh of 18 to Walk In The Mill in the Grade 3 Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree off a mark of 150.
He has since ran a decent fifth of 13 to Kimberlite Candy in the Classic Chase at Warwick off 148. The assessor has been kind in dropping him 3lb since.
Le Breiul is now able to race off the same rating as when winning here 12 months ago, so that gives him major claims from a handicapping perspective and makes him look worth a wager here at 7/1 with 888sport.
