The Open

Racing Post Hurdle after the six-year-old was allotted 10st 7lb for the feature race of the third and final day of Cheltenham’s Open meeting on Sunday, November 18.

Olofi
Racehorse Photos

George revealed: “Olofi is set for the Racing Post Hurdle. I took him away to Lambourn on Tuesday morning to work him over a mile and a half on grass, just to give him a trip away, and he did a good, strong piece of work.

“He ran a very solid race last year - he won his race on the stands’ rail whereas Brampour came up the middle. He’s rated 136 now but he was competitive off the same mark last season - he fell at Newbury when he was going to run a big race and then his season fell apart.

“Everything went wrong at The Festival - he got a bad start, was badly hampered and I don’t think he was quite the same after he fell at Newbury, although he’s fine now. He has schooled over fences since he was three and we have chasing at the back of our minds with him.

“We always planned to give him one start over hurdles before going chasing and we hope that we have got him straight enough to do himself justice on his first start of the season.

“He could have easily been one of the high-profile horses of last season but things didn’t go his way and hopefully we can get him back on song.”

Raya Star (12/1 with Paddy Power) heads the weights for the Racing Post Hurdle with 11st 12lb following a game victory over It’s A Gimme (10st 11lb & 7/1) in a competitive handicap hurdle at Ascot on November 3.

Darlan
Racehorse Photos

He got off the mark over fences on his latest start at Cork on October 21, rallying strongly after the last fence to score by a neck.

“I wouldn’t say he was unlucky at Killarney but it has worked out to be a good race and the winner is a good horse. He is still lightly raced over hurdles but I don’t think that is a concern going to Cheltenham because he jumps well.”

Other entries include the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle fourth Kazlian (10st 7lb & 10/1), the lightly-raced Ranjaan (10st 12lb & 12/1) plus course and distance winner Dark Lover (10st 2lb &
12/1).

THE RACING POST HURDLE 6t6h3i

Class 1, Grade 3, 100,000 Total Prize Fund. 2.55pm, Cheltenham, Sunday, November 18, 2012. For 4yo+, 2m 110yds. Entries closed October 30, entries revealed October 31 (43 entries, 1 subsequently scratched), weights revealed November 7. Penalties: after November 4, a winner of a hurdle race 5lb (no penalty to increase a horse’s weight above 11st 12lb). Five-day confirmation stage November 13, final 48-hour declaration stage 10.00am, November 16. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, 2 October 29.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

31301-1 RAYA STAR (IRE) 6-11-12 Simon Munir Alan King

111F21- DARLAN 5-11-08 J P McManus Nicky Henderson

2306/1//1- SNAP TIE (IRE) 10-11-08 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs

246-1 DODGING BULLETS 4-11-07 Martin Broughton & Friends Paul Nicholls

1123F-1 HINTERLAND (FR) 4-11-05 Chris Giles & Potensis Limited Paul Nicholls

214453- PROSPECT WELLS (FR) 7-11-03 Andrea & Graham Wylie Paul Nicholls

11/213- STAYING ARTICLE (IRE) 7-11-03 Thomas Barr Edward O'Grady IRE

50-0FF1 MOON DICE (IRE) 7-11-02 Three Friers Cross Syndicate Paul Flynn IRE

3134/30-0 STARLUCK (IRE) 7-11-01 Andrew Wates David Arbuthnot

435216- EDGARDO SOL (FR) 5-11-01 Axom XXXII Paul Nicholls

004/600//- BLUE BAJAN (IRE) 10-11-01 Dr John Hollowood David O'Meara

32111-B LEXI'S BOY (IRE) 4-10-13 Tim Leslie Donald McCain

0-20131 RATTAN (USA) 7-10-13 J A Coleman Willie Mullins IRE

4/31115- CASH AND GO (IRE) 5-10-12 Robin Geffen Nicky Henderson

2F11- RANJAAN (FR) 4-10-12 Highclere Thoroughbred Racing - Ranjaan Paul Nicholls

1411R-1 UNE ARTISTE (FR) 4-10-12 Simon Munir Nicky Henderson

2(5)220/-2 BOTHY 6-10-11 Dan Gilbert Brian Ellison

21210-2 IT'S A GIMME (IRE) 5-10-11 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill

52000-5 DESERT CRY (IRE) 6-10-10 NYPD Racing Donald McCain

1U145-2 ALASI 8-10-09 Shully Liebermann Paul Webber

31440-1 MALLER TREE 5-10-09 Favourites Racing Jessica Harrington IRE

6D1/21-2 DOMINATION 5-10-07 Patrick Wilmott/Ms C Cleary Charles Byrnes IRE

101-155 CONSTANT 5-10-07 Delboy & Rodney Donald McCain

21140- KAZLIAN (FR) 4-10-07 Twelve Pipers Piping David Pipe

0/42F50- OLOFI (FR) 6-10-07 McNeill Family Tom George

2F131-P VENDOR (FR) 4-10-07 Thurloe 52 Alan King

5123-63 CONQUISTO 7-10-06 Phil Martin Steve Gollings

4-45023 ONE COOL SHABRA (IRE) 4-10-06 Rita Shah Oliver Brady IRE

2-10126 CAUSE OF CAUSES (USA) 4-10-05 Timeform Betfair Racing Club Ltd Gordon Elliott IRE

42100-0 TED SPREAD 5-10-03 False Nose 'n Glasses Partnership Paul Nicholls

25511-1 HI DANCER 9-10-02 R Tocher Ben Haslam

601U3P- GLAM GERRY (IRE) 8-10-02 Barry Connell Colm Murphy IRE

311426 CHANGING THE GUARD 6-10-02 BetterTipster.co.uk Dr Richard Newland

2/21(2)1/-1 DARK LOVER (GER) 7-10-02 Des Nichols & Peter Hart Paul Nicholls

F33511 HUNTERS BELT (IRE) 8-10-01 R A Fisher & John Blair George Bewley

160-FUF AKULA (IRE) 5-10-00 Jay Three Racing Mark Tompkins

04133///-1 KING OF QUEENS (IRE) 7-10-00 Ashley Scanlon Thomas Mullins

PP/1/-111 ALBERT HALL (USA) 7-9-09 Claudine Minier Arnaud Chaille-Chaille FR

32110-0 ILE DE RE (FR) 6-9-08 D Mead Donald McCain

F101-05 STAR OF ARAGON (IRE) 6-9-08 Holly's Buddies Syndicate James Nash IRE P004-30 GREY SOLDIER (IRE) 7-9-07 J O'Brien & Christian Leech Sophie Leech

043525 THE TIDDLY TADPOLE 7-9-04 The Frog Chorus Simon West

THE FOLLOWING HORSE HAS BEEN SCRATCHED: COTTON MILL

42 entries

9 Irish-trained

1 French-trained