In a truly remarkable display, the talented horse Ma Shantou elevated his performance to new heights by clinching an impressive victory in the Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham. This race carved out a pathway for him toward the upcoming Stayers' Hurdle, scheduled to take place back at Cheltenham in March.
Result of the Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle (15:35)
1st: Ma Shantou (5/2)
2nd: Impose Toi (Evens favorite)
3rd: Doddiethegreat (10/1)
For all today's results from Cheltenham, click here.
Ma Shantou's journey this season has been primarily positive, with only one disappointing outing at Haydock in November. However, he rebounded strongly with a win on New Year's Day, and this was his first venture outside of handicap races this season. Despite facing four rivals who were allotted more weight than him in the three-mile Grade 2 race, Ma Shantou demonstrated that he didn’t require any assistance.
Ridden by Ben Jones, Ma Shantou settled comfortably behind the leader, Gowel Road, before seizing control as they approached the final stretch. As he angled towards the preferred stands' side rail, he maintained a strong pace. Although Impose Toi initially posed a challenge, he ultimately faltered as the race progressed, while Ma Shantou continued to extend his lead, finishing seven lengths ahead of the competition.
In a post-race interview with Racing TV, Jones expressed his satisfaction: "That was a good performance; he jumped and traveled really nicely, and I had plenty left when turning for home, so I decided to push forward. He’s by Shantou, which is fitting for these conditions, but you never know how a horse will react. Thankfully, he navigated the ground well today. His previous run at Haydock wasn’t great, but I’m thrilled with his performance today. It was crucial for him to step up, and he certainly did. Who knows, he might even improve further."
Trainer Emma Lavelle also praised Ma Shantou, stating: "He was incredibly impressive today; he jumped well, traveled smoothly, and executed everything perfectly. It’s clear he has outgrown the handicap races! I've always believed that his racing style suits a true stayer—he conserves energy and executes brilliantly, as he showcased today. As soon as he sensed competition, he picked up the pace again.
One notable aspect of Ma Shantou is his affinity for Cheltenham; if a horse is going to favor a specific course, Cheltenham is certainly a prestigious choice. At home, he has been in excellent form. Libby, who leads him out and rides him daily, often remarks on his lively nature, particularly after gallops. He’s a robust horse who is maturing and clearly enjoys racing at Cheltenham.
Having experienced the glory of having a stayer like Paisley Park, it feels almost indulgent to witness another horse progressing well, albeit with more growth ahead. We are excited about this journey together. Ma Shantou has answered our questions more convincingly than I anticipated. In all his races, Harry Cobden has mentioned that while we may not know how much he has left, there’s always something in reserve. Today, he traveled through the race impressively.
Ben mentioned that a flick of the whip sent him off again as soon as he felt the pressure. I never imagined he would impress me this much today. I’m relieved he handled the ground well, which eases my concerns; I was worried about how he would perform on it, but he couldn’t have done better. We leave here confident that he can manage various ground conditions that lie ahead.
Moving forward, we'll be sure to treat him with extra care in the coming weeks. If we can maintain his current condition, we should feel optimistic about competing in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson, trainer of Impose Toi, attributed his performance to the ground conditions, saying: "He ran admirably today; however, this type of ground does not suit him. Kudos to the winner! Doddiethegreat also performed well despite carrying a penalty. We’ll remove that for his next race, and all roads now lead to the Stayers’ Hurdle. He needed this run since he’s quite lazy at home; he wouldn’t have managed to go from the Long Walk until March without competing. Nico stated he was the one horse today who struggled with the ground. Considering the penalty and the circumstances, we can take away hope for March."
Watch the free replay of the Pertemps Network Cleeve Hurdle here.
Latest Odds for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle
Teahupoo currently stands as the favorite at 7/4, but there have been some shifts in the odds for those trailing behind. Honesty Policy is now positioned as the second favorite at a best price of 9/2, while Ma Shantou shares 8/1 odds with the reigning champion, Bob Olinger. Interestingly, Impose Toi's odds have drifted to 14/1 from a previous low of 5/1.
