The Paddy Power Gold Cup headlines Cheltenham’s Saturday action, with five meetings taking place in all. Andrew Mount has the following top tips to give you a cracking start to the weekend.
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Posted: 12:40pm, Friday, November 15th
2.20 Cheltenham – IL RIDOTO (1pt ew – 7/1 generally ) & IMAGINE (1pt win – 15/2 Coral)
This year’s renewal of the Paddy Power Gold Cup is a belter and after much deliberation I’ve come down on the side of Paul Nicholls’ IL RIDOTO, who has run well in this race in each of the last two years. Both those runs – a five-length 8-1 fourth of 14 to GA Law in 2022 and a 12-length 12-1 third of 14 to Stage Star 12 months ago – came on his seasonal debut but he might do better this year now that he’s had a prep race. That initial outing was an underwhelming fifth at Chepstow last month, but the Nicholls horses have largely been needing a run this term and, since October 1st, backing those who had the benefit of an outing within the past five weeks would have found five winners from 11 bets. Since joining his current yard, the seven-year-old has a win and two placed efforts (one of them a short head second) to his name from three runs on his second start of the campaign and it will be disappointing if he isn’t in the first four.
IMAGINE, a qualifier on the Harry Derham stable switchers angle (15 from 26 in handicaps only for a profit of £46.60) looks the main danger and he was three from three on his season debuts for Gordon Elliott. He too is worth a bet, and I shall have a stake saver on outsider STRAW FAN JACK, who tends to go well at this time of year.
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2.28 Uttoxeter – FOURTOWNS (1pt win – 2/1 bet365)
FOURTOWNS was sent off as the 9-4 favourite for a handicap hurdle at Hereford last Monday but clearly didn’t handle the right-handed track, jumping and hanging to his left on his way to finishing fifth of the seven runners. Since joining Ben Pauling, the five-year-old’s only other right-handed start saw him disappoint at Ludlow, jumping out to his left when finishing third of seven as the 7-4 second favourite. The five-year-old ran well over 2m here at left-handed Uttoxeter on his penultimate start, finishing fourth of 14 on his first run following wind surgery and while not entirely straightforward, he looks worth a small interest now returned to a left-handed venue.
2.55 Cheltenham – DOYEN QUEST (1pt win, 9/4 William Hill, bet365)
DOYEN QUEST has form figures in handicap hurdle company of 2112 (2-4) and last month’s four-length runner-up effort to Josh The Boss at Chepstow was particular noteworthy as the third, sixth, ninth and 16th have won since, as has the Paul Nicholls-trained Irish Hill who was pulled up in that 2m3.5f contest. Plenty more of the beaten horses have run well in defeat since and today’s step up to 3m promises to suit.
3.48 Newcastle – WILTSHIRE (1pt win – 6/1 William Hill, Paddy Power)
WILTSHIRE bombed out at Ascot last time, finishing eighth of the nine runners, but will be happier back on the all-weather in this 6f Listed contest. The William Haggas-trained four-year-old has form figures on synthetics of 111 (3-3), with two of the wins on Tapeta (here and at Wolverhampton). The tongue-tie goes on for the first time, a positive angle for the yard’s all-weather runners, he’s nicely drawn in stall 8 and Jason Hart is a good booking.
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
2.20 Cheltenham – IL RIDOTO (1pt ew – 7/1 generally ) & IMAGINE (1pt win – 15/2 Coral)
2.28 Uttoxeter – FOURTOWNS (1pt win – 2/1 bet365)
2.55 Cheltenham – DOYEN QUEST (1pt win, 9/4 William Hill, bet365)
3.48 Newcastle – WILTSHIRE (1pt win – 6/1 William Hill, Paddy Power)
Andrew Mount’s tips for Saturday, 16th November 2024.
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