Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Preview - Cheltenham Festival

Published on: 13/03/2020

Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Preview - Cheltenham Festival

March 13, 2020 17:30pm - Cheltenham

Distance: 2m 4f 56y

Grade: (Class 2) (4yo+)

Runners: 23

Winner: £43,330

Going: Soft

The Festival concludes with the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys` Handicap Hurdle. The race was introduced in 2009 and is named after the former trainer who retired back in 2006 after an illustrious career which included 34 wins at the Cheltenham Festival. The race is open to jockeys just starting out in their professional careers.

Front View has been backed down to 3/1 for this and is going off a decent mark after finishing second to Five O`Clock in a Grade Three at Thurles last time out. Thurles bumper winner The Bosses Oscar rides for Gordon Elliott who has trained four winners in this race. He had no issues switching to hurdles and arrives in good form.

Five O`Clock will also be in contention for three-time winning trainer Willie Mullins after making good progress since debut. Most notably, with win over Front View and Assemble at Thurles.

Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Winners - past six years:

2014: Don Poli (5) - Mikey Fogarty (Williams Mullins)

2015: Killultagh (6) - Luke Dempsey (Williams Mullins)

2016: Ibis du Rheu (5) - Jack Sherwood (Paul Nicholls)

2017: Champagne Classic (6) - James Slevin (Gordon Elliott)

2018: Blow by Blow (7) - D Meyler (Gordon Elliott)

2019: Early Doors (6) - J J ONeill (J P OBrien)

Latest Betting odds:

Front View (3/1), Ilikedwayurthinkin (6/1), Column Of Fire (6/1), Five O`Clock (7/1), Pileon (9/1), Umbrigado (9/1), The Bosses Oscar (11/1), Escaria Ten (12/1), Flash The Steel (16/1), Espoir De Romay (20/1), Doctor Duffy (25/1), Happygolucky (33/1), Indefatigable (33/1), Great White Shark (50/1), Everybreathyoutake (50/1), Ecco (50/1), Cliffs Of Dover (66/1), Thomas Macdonagh (66/1), Anything Will Do (66/1), My Sister Sarah (66/1), Mill Green (80/1), Ruthless Article (100/1), Big Blue (100/1)

By Neil Morris

Published on: 13/03/2020

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (13/03/2020 13:16:08) but are subject to change.