Gaskells Waste Management Handicap Hurdle
Grade 3 | Class 1 | 4YO plus
Winner £28,135 - 19 ran
in touch, challenged 2 out, led last, ridden run-in, held on towards finish
held up towards rear, pushed along before 4 out, headway after 3 out, soon ridden, kept on well run-in, went 2nd last 50 yards, not reach winner
tracked leaders in 4th, led before 2 out, ridden and headed last, no extra and lost 2nd place last 50 yards
tracked leaders in 3rd, every chance 2 out, kept on, no extra last 100 yards
tracked leader, challenged 3 out, every chance 2 out, ridden run-in, kept on towards finish
held up in touch, headway before 2 out, ridden before last, kept on
held up towards rear, headway before 2 out, kept on same pace
held up towards rear, pushed along after 4 out, no impression when mistake last
held up in touch, ridden before last, faded run-in
held up towards rear, headway before 3 out, ridden before last, no impression
led, headed before 2 out, soon weakened
held up towards rear, ridden before last, soon weakened
prominent, weakened before 3 out
held up mid-division, headway before and mistake 3 out, ridden and weakened last
held up rear division, ridden before 3 out, soon weakened
16 4
6 10-1 133
held up mid-division on outer, headway before 6 out, chased leaders before 3 out, weakened before 2 out
always behind, pulled up before 9th
tracked leader, fell 1st
held up behind, pushed along and outpaced from 6 out, tailed off before 3 out, pulled up before last
Six of the last ten runnings have gone the way of a novice so, in common with the 2m4f handicap at this fixture, this race has proved a happy hunting ground for first-season hurdlers.
The four successful novices who won between 2006 - 2009 were all were stepping up in trip.
The best novice guide has been the EBF Final at Sandown, a novice handicap that always contains a clutch of highly promising looking chasers in the making and provided the winner three years running from 2007-2009 and the winner two years ago, Doctor Harper.
Fifteen of the 28 winners ran at the Cheltenham Festival and this is effectively the Aintree equivalent race of the Pertemps Network Final (minus the endless qualifying races) so it is no surprise to see that handicap at Cheltenham have a bearing with six winners here having run in that Final since 1988.
It is worth noting that although the Pertemps Final is the more valuable of the two races, that contest only has Listed status whereas this race was raised to Grade 3 level in 2010 so it should theoretically be the stronger of the two handicaps.
Six of the last eight winners of that Final also lined up here with Cape Tribulation completing the double in 2012 and Call The Cops was only beaten a head here by the Coral Cup fourth, Taglietelle, when trying to emulate him last season. Freetown also placed here after winning the Pertemps in 2002.
Only five of the 28 winners had been successful last time out but that includes four of the last 11. Prior to Battle Group’s win three years ago, the previous nine winners all arrived here with a win earlier in the season behind them as had 19 in all.
Six of the last ten runnings have gone the way of a novice so, in common with the 2m4f handicap at this fixture, this race has proved a happy hunting ground for first-season hurdlers.
Only one of the last 18 winners had not run at least four times earlier in the season. As many as ten winners had run over fences earlier in the season, three of which on their last start.
That’s a pretty good strike rate in 27 years, especially given how well novice hurdlers have performed as, generally speaking, very few of those will have been chasing at some point in their career.
Just two five-year-olds have won in 27 runnings. The only five-year-olds to win this handicap were Escartefigue (who was better at Aintree than anywhere else) and Time For Rupert and both went on to make top-notch chasers.
Jonjo O'Neill is best known for his stayers and he has won this race four times in the last 14 years, twice with novices, so it is surprising that he has ran just two horses in the last five years which included last season’s close-up 25/1 third, Master Malt.
The Irish took this prize for the third time last year and the first time in 13 years since Ross Moff was successful. Mouse Morris saddled the first Irish winner, What A Question, and has had three others placed, but hasn't had a runner in any of the last ten years.
Three successive favourites obliged before Time For Rupert won at 50/1, the race's biggest-priced winner, and it was the gambled-on Battle Group that gave favourites another victory three years ago, albeit the co-favourite of three at 8/1 leading home another co-favourite in second.
Three favourites went in during the 1990s and six in total have finished second so it has been relatively punter friendly given how competitive it is. The second-favoutite beat the favourite into second place last year.
| Year | Winner | Trainer | Jockey | Age/Wt | OR | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Taglietelle | G Elliott | P Carberry | 6/11:6 | 145 | 7/1 |
| 2014 | Doctor Harper | D Pipe | T Scudamore | 6/11:3 | 138 | 8/1 |
| 2013 | Battle Group | K Bishop | Brendan Powell (3) | 8/10:9 | 131 | 8/1jf |
| 2012 | Cape Tribulation | Malcolm Jefferson | Dennis O'Regan | 8/11:12 | 150 | 14-1 |
| 2011 | Battle Group | David Pipe | Barry Geraghty | 6/11:01 | 131 | |
| 2010 | Ringaroses | Jonjo O'Neill | Tony McCoy | 9/11:00 | 130 | 10-1 |
| 2009 | Time For Rupert | Paul Webber | William Kenedy | 5/10:10 | 134 | 50-1 |
| 2008 | Forest Pennant | Paul Nicholls | Ruby Walsh | 6/10:13 | 130 | 9-2f |
| 2007 | Albertas Run | Jonjo O'Neill | Tony McCoy | 6/10:04 | 128 | 9-2f |
| 2006 | Refinement | Jonjo O'Neill | Tony McCoy | 7/10:12 | 131 | 11-4f |
| 2005 | Holland Park | Mrs S D Williams | Joe Tizzard | 8/11:00 | 130 | 10-1 |
| 2004 | His Nibs | Veniatta Williams | Joe Tizzard | 7/10:10 | 130 | 14-1 |
| 2003 | Carlovent | Martin Pipe | Tony McCoy | 8/10:11 | 130 | 16-1 |
| 2002 | Sudden Shock | Jonjo O'Neill | J R Kavangh | 7/10:01 | 126 | 33-1 |
| Type | Stats | Type | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | 87 runs, 9 wins (6 horses), 15 placed, 63 unplaced | Next time out | 18 runs, 1 win, 3 placed, 14 unplaced |
| Class analysis | 11 runs up in class, 1 win, 0 placed, 10 unplaced | Ratings check | Highest winning OR: 158; Highest placed OR: 158 |
