Cheltenham November Meeting tips, preview and best bets
Racing at Cheltenham is back this weekend for the November Meeting, across Friday through to Sunday. Friday’s feature race is the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett before more graded and top-class contests including the Triumph Trial, The Arkle Trial and the Paddy Power Gold Cup. talksporttalkSPORT BET have you covered with Tom Lunn’s racing tips on all the day’s action![/caption] talkSPORT BET – Bet £10 Get £30 free bets – CLAIM HERE* Cheltenham November Meeting tips Friday1.45: Hyland 5/23.30: Valgrand 7/4 Saturday12.35: Static1.45: L’Eau du Sud 13/82.20: Imagine 6/13.30: Major Fortune 7/1 Hyland It’s down to just a four-runner event in the 1.45 for the Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Novices’ Chase, a listed contest over 3m and Hyland appeals a lot in this. The grey won over course and distance last month at 9/2 by a wide margin in impressive fashion under Nico de Boinville. Trainer Nicky Henderson has a few stars to display this season and Hyland could well be another progressive sort that steps into that kind of role. He was a decent hurdler but looks to be an even better horse over fences, already surpassing his top mark as a hurdler too. Resplendent Grey is 1-1 over fences but steps up to 3m for the first time which can either be a plus or minus. His pedigree suggests he should be able to go well over this new distance and while he does have an impressive strike rate over fences, he may not like the good ground that’s likely this weekend. Buddy One is a very interesting runner at 5/1 for a bit of a straight punt as there’s no each-way. He carries 3lb less despite being the top-rated horse in this contest, by quit a margin too. This horse placed well behind Teahupoo and Strong Leader over 3m in Grade 1 hurdles. Over fences though, it’s more of a question mark, winning well on debut over fences but finished third of three, tamely at Wexford. Hyland can likely outjump these rivals into a stamina test. Valgrand Valgrand was a ready winner here last month beating Gale Mahler by 17 lengths and looks ready to step up to this trip. The Dan Skelton-trained five-year-old won over an extended 2m3f at Bangor on his final appearance last season and returned looking better than ever, earning a huge rise in the weights. Since switching to hurdles he’s 3-3, though does face some unexposed sorts too, not carrying a 5lb penalty. But the manner in which he won against some very good opponents, suggests there’s more to come and his antepost price is more appealing. Static The Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle is a fascinating one this year with some great looking and promising hurdlers for a variety of trainers and owners. The ones that really catch the eye are Prairie Angel, East India Dock, Static, Model Approach and Torrent. Torrent has to carry a 3lb penalty while Prairie Angel, the only filly mentioned gets 7lb from the geldings. Static was only just denied by Liam Swagger at Wetherby on the first of the month and that race also saw Torrent plug on for third. It’s hard to look anywhere else as a result as Liam Swagger would have been the choice had he been entered. L’Eau du Sud Coasted clear on chase debut for the Skeltons and this grey gelding looks to be a star in the making. He was close up behind the likes of Iberico Lord and Absurde in tough hurdle contests, with the latter over this course on heavy ground. Should be fine with the good ground this weekend with enough watering not to rule him out, if there is a non-runner announcement then look no further than Lookaway. But L’Eau du Sud made such a strong chance they will be keen to see him again after making extremely light work of some more experienced chasers at Stratford on Halloween. Imagine Stage Star won the November Meeting Gold Cup last year and his stablemate Ginny’s Destiny could replicate that off the same mark, as one of the frontrunners in the antepost betting. Despite carrying more some horses can just show their class in these handicaps, though Protektorat who does carry top-weight will be giving away a minimum of 12lb to the rest of the field which is a tough task. Ga Law also runs off the same weight as Ginny’s Destiny and has run well here including winning in January’s Grade 3 over 2m5f. Imagine is an interesting runner that may take some beating as the six-year-old looks to progress for new trainer Harry Derham. He’s placed well behind some top horses including over hurdles at Cheltenham Festival 2023 in the Martin Pipe hurdle and won twice in November last year in Ireland making him a great each-way play in the Gold Cup. He beat the likes of Pinkerton, Inothewayurthinkin, Sandor Clegane on his seasonal debut last year and has only been seen three times over fences so could be dangerously unexposed. Good ground is a bit of a concern here for this year’s renewal and that could benefit other rivals, but he’s still a danger under Pa
Racing at Cheltenham is back this weekend for the November Meeting, across Friday through to Sunday.
Friday’s feature race is the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett before more graded and top-class contests including the Triumph Trial, The Arkle Trial and the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
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Cheltenham November Meeting tips
- Friday
1.45: Hyland 5/2
3.30: Valgrand 7/4 - Saturday
12.35: Static
1.45: L’Eau du Sud 13/8
2.20: Imagine 6/1
3.30: Major Fortune 7/1
Hyland
It’s down to just a four-runner event in the 1.45 for the Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Novices’ Chase, a listed contest over 3m and Hyland appeals a lot in this.
The grey won over course and distance last month at 9/2 by a wide margin in impressive fashion under Nico de Boinville.
Trainer Nicky Henderson has a few stars to display this season and Hyland could well be another progressive sort that steps into that kind of role.
He was a decent hurdler but looks to be an even better horse over fences, already surpassing his top mark as a hurdler too.
Resplendent Grey is 1-1 over fences but steps up to 3m for the first time which can either be a plus or minus.
His pedigree suggests he should be able to go well over this new distance and while he does have an impressive strike rate over fences, he may not like the good ground that’s likely this weekend.
Buddy One is a very interesting runner at 5/1 for a bit of a straight punt as there’s no each-way.
He carries 3lb less despite being the top-rated horse in this contest, by quit a margin too.
This horse placed well behind Teahupoo and Strong Leader over 3m in Grade 1 hurdles.
Over fences though, it’s more of a question mark, winning well on debut over fences but finished third of three, tamely at Wexford.
Hyland can likely outjump these rivals into a stamina test.
Valgrand
Valgrand was a ready winner here last month beating Gale Mahler by 17 lengths and looks ready to step up to this trip.
The Dan Skelton-trained five-year-old won over an extended 2m3f at Bangor on his final appearance last season and returned looking better than ever, earning a huge rise in the weights.
Since switching to hurdles he’s 3-3, though does face some unexposed sorts too, not carrying a 5lb penalty.
But the manner in which he won against some very good opponents, suggests there’s more to come and his antepost price is more appealing.
Static
The Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle is a fascinating one this year with some great looking and promising hurdlers for a variety of trainers and owners.
The ones that really catch the eye are Prairie Angel, East India Dock, Static, Model Approach and Torrent.
Torrent has to carry a 3lb penalty while Prairie Angel, the only filly mentioned gets 7lb from the geldings.
Static was only just denied by Liam Swagger at Wetherby on the first of the month and that race also saw Torrent plug on for third.
It’s hard to look anywhere else as a result as Liam Swagger would have been the choice had he been entered.
L’Eau du Sud
Coasted clear on chase debut for the Skeltons and this grey gelding looks to be a star in the making.
He was close up behind the likes of Iberico Lord and Absurde in tough hurdle contests, with the latter over this course on heavy ground.
Should be fine with the good ground this weekend with enough watering not to rule him out, if there is a non-runner announcement then look no further than Lookaway.
But L’Eau du Sud made such a strong chance they will be keen to see him again after making extremely light work of some more experienced chasers at Stratford on Halloween.
Imagine
Stage Star won the November Meeting Gold Cup last year and his stablemate Ginny’s Destiny could replicate that off the same mark, as one of the frontrunners in the antepost betting.
Despite carrying more some horses can just show their class in these handicaps, though Protektorat who does carry top-weight will be giving away a minimum of 12lb to the rest of the field which is a tough task.
Ga Law also runs off the same weight as Ginny’s Destiny and has run well here including winning in January’s Grade 3 over 2m5f.
Imagine is an interesting runner that may take some beating as the six-year-old looks to progress for new trainer Harry Derham.
He’s placed well behind some top horses including over hurdles at Cheltenham Festival 2023 in the Martin Pipe hurdle and won twice in November last year in Ireland making him a great each-way play in the Gold Cup.
He beat the likes of Pinkerton, Inothewayurthinkin, Sandor Clegane on his seasonal debut last year and has only been seen three times over fences so could be dangerously unexposed.
Good ground is a bit of a concern here for this year’s renewal and that could benefit other rivals, but he’s still a danger under Paul O’Brien.
Major Fortune
This Skelton-trained gelding is a promising star for the yard this season after winning stylishly on seasonal debut and has shown form over hurdles over a variety of distances.
He could have entered 3m Handicap Hurdle instead which takes place at 2.55 but they clearly have a lot of confidence in Doyent Quest for that one instead.
Major Fortune is fancied regardless off what could be a low weight to what he’s capable of.
He’s now won six times from a possible 11 and won so well last time out that he was met with a 9lb rise from the handicapper.
One concern could be the ground with him too, with Wyenot a possible replacement if he too is a non-runner on the day.
But he’s won on good ground before and holds every chance of continuing his steep rise in the weights.
Tom Lunn’s Profit/Loss
- October ’24: +21.57
- From May ’24: +155.99pts
- From July ’23: +368.55pts
All odds correct at time of writing
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