Jatiluwih

Jatiluwih put up a good performance to win the two-mile-five-furlong handicap hurdle. Held up well back in the field early on by David Maxwell, his jumping was very good, and he made nice progress on the run down the hill on the run to the home turn. Falco Blitz showed a good turn of foot to go clear at that point, and he bagged the favoured stands rail, but Jatiluwih stayed on really strongly from the final flight, he joined the leader 200 yards out and he powered on up the run-in to win by over two lengths.

Philip Hobbs' horse just continues to progress. He is now five for five since he arrived from France, and he may not be finished improving yet. His four previous wins in Britain were in novice hurdles, he was making his handicap debut here off a mark of 137, and he proved that he was well up to that mark. The handicapper raised him by 9lb to a mark of 146, but there could still be more in him off that mark. He is only five, he handles goodish ground as well as this soft ground, and he stays this intermediate trip well. He will be of interest wherever he goes next.

Cheltenham, 16^th November 2019

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