Timberman

Timberman stayed on well to finish third in the conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle that opened proceedings at Cheltenham on Saturday. Held up out the back early on with only Ingleby Hollow behind him, he travelled well through the early stages of the race. Moved to the outside by Fergus Gregory at the top of the hill, he made good ground over the third last and second last flights, and he stayed on well up the hill to take third place behind Samba Dancer, closest at the finish.

It was a good run from Fergal O’Brien’s horse, coming from the rear in a race in which the pace held up well. Winner of a novices’ handicap hurdle at Market Rasen in May off a mark of 120, this was his first run since he disappointed in a handicap hurdle at Southwell in June, but given a nice break by his trainer, he put that disappointing run behind him here. He handled easier ground too when he was with Nicky Henderson and, a six-year-old who was racing over hurdles for just the seventh time on Saturday, he could be a well-handicapped horse now on his mark of 119.
Cheltenham, 23^rd October 2021