Can in-form David Pipe get Cheltenham week off to the perfect start with First Lord De Cuet?

David Pipe saddled Sidi Ismael to finish second behind Bangers And Cash in this race last year and the trainer is back for another bite at the cherry 12 months on.

Pipe saddles First Lord De Cuet, who was beaten only three-quarters of a length into second by subsequent Eider winner Anglers Crag at Market Rasen in January, when the front two were 26 lengths clear. That form is evidently strong, but he is 3lb higher and has been beaten since.

That latest defeat came at Kempton last month, when he appeared to have a tendency to jump left-handed. Taunton is a similar clockwise venue, so he will need to brush up on that score.

Pipe has saddled five winners from his last 18 runners and the stable has hit form at the right time as far as Cheltenham is concerned. Winning this would be the perfect start to the week.

That fact isn’t lost on Paul Nicholls, who saddles two of the seven runners and has a 28 per cent strike-rate at Taunton in the last five seasons. That record is mirrored by title-chasing jockey Harry Cobden, who is on Broken Halo, while Angus Cheleda will partner Enrilo.

Enrilo bounced back to form when second in the Edinburgh National at Musselburgh last month, but it’s all systems go for Cobden’s title push so Broken Halo looks the first string.

Jacamar, Laskalin, De Rasher Counter and Cyclop complete the field, and De Rasher Counter is interesting. He bids for his first win since November 2019, but is 14lb lower now.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Going update

A dry week was ended by showers on Saturday but conditions are likely to remain steadfast at the Somerset track, where the going on Sunday was soft, good to soft in places. 

Robert Bellamy, who takes over the post as Taunton clerk of the course from Jason Loosemore, said on Sunday: "We've remained the same since declarations on Saturday morning. We did have 8mm of rain on Saturday but the track will take it well. 

"I'd imagine we'd stay the same for raceday as we're forecast to be dry." 

What they say

Emma Lavelle, trainer of De Rasher Counter
He's 12 now and I think he's a bit wilier than he was, but the distance should really help him. I think the ground might be a bit nicer than he's had for a lot of the season and we'll see how he goes. We're probably coming to the end of his career now but he seems really well, and the form of his race at Kempton has worked out really well. He shows his usual exuberance at home and hopefully he can bring that to the track.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Enrilo and Broken Halo
Enrilo ran very well at Musselburgh and this is the sort of race which suits him nowadays. This is a bit of a drop in grade for him but we just wouldn't want any more rain, as it was soft enough at Musselburgh. Broken Halo was travelling ever so well in the London National and Lorcan [Williams] thought he'd go close to winning before he fell two out. He ran all right the other day, which will be a confidence boost, and you'd have to think he has a chance with Harry [Cobden] on board.

David Pipe, trainer of First Lord De Cuet 
He's in good form and won't mind the track or trip, and it looks like a good open contest for him. You can change the trip round with him, anything from two miles and six upwards, so this just seemed like a suitable race.
Reporting by Catherine Macrae

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