The third and final day of Cheltenham’s November meeting is scheduled for Sunday. Along with Fontwell’s Southern National, GG’s in-house tipster Joe Napier selects his best bets for the contests live on ITV.
1.45 Cheltenham – mallardjewellers.com Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
Peaky Boy and Leader In The Park come into this with clear potential, but both are making their chase debuts in a very competitive event. The fencing victories achieved already by Westerninthepark and PRIMOZ allure more from a form perspective, with Lucinda Russell’s charge looking better value.
Russell has been positive on this horse’s ability in her recent pre-season dispatches. He showed that on occasion as a novice hurdler, winning a decent handicap at Ayr to conclude last season, though he had not always been the most consistent.
There has to be hope that will change over fences, with the form of his chase debut success being readily franked by the runner-up since. Primoz had beaten him with something to spare too, so while a 9lb rise might be on the harsh side, he could be a progressive one to follow.
2.05 Fontwell – BetGoodwin Southern National Handicap Chase
The 11–year-old Musical Slave has every chance if he continues a recent bounce back, but this looks an open first edition of this regional national. Preference is for ROLL WITH IT, who has been consistent throughout the summer and early autumn for the Bowens.
He has only run one poor race within his eight starts since May, though that came in the softest conditions he has faced and over a trip that may prove on the short side. However, his win over 3m1½f at Cartmel in June, as well as his third at Wetherby earlier this month, suggest that this marathon distance will suit him better than any start before.
If it does, his mark of 115 is one he can win off, while plenty of his opposition do not appear as likely to give their running as he does.
2.55 Cheltenham – Holland Cooper Handicap Chase
Over the same distance as the Southern National, this trip takes some getting at Cheltenham. Previous experience of the course and distance could prove valuable, so the top three in order of preference are DOES HE KNOW, Manothepeople and Hymac. The first-named gets the verdict having won this two years ago.
Kim Bailey has his runners in good form of late and his nine-year-old here has been a flag-bearer for a few seasons now. His win in this in 2022 came off 2lb higher, but Does he Know has run plenty of decent races since, making the frame in the Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury in 2023, and winning the Grimthorpe at Doncaster earlier this year off a mark of 149.
Having pulled up in the bet365 Gold Cup in April and finished fourth on his return here last month, only Henry De Bromhead’s Irish raiders pulled comfortably clear of him. Down another 2lb, and with that run behind him, he could easily step forward significantly and enhance what is a fairly impressive strike rate over fences (5/14 at this point).
3.30 Cheltenham – Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle
Dysart Enos is very well respected given she is unbeaten and has collateral form that could ensure she is close to two stone well-in. Burdett Road may be likewise too, so this could be an extremely competitive renewal of the Greatwood.
A chance might be worth taking on JACOVEC CAVERN though, who has a similar air of “plot job” about him. For one thing, five-year-olds have won six of the last ten runnings, while his two runs for Emmet Mullins on the flat have been very positive, finishing second at Galway, and running very well for a long way in the Cesarewitch.
His hurdles form as a juvenile would be miles below what is required here, but he could have plenty more to offer as a more experienced handicapper who could well have been targeted at this for a while. A mark of 126 may make this too tough, but Mullins and jockey Donagh Meyler have combined for 17 runners in British jumps races and almost half of them have finished in the first three. Given they traditionally only target races with bigger fields, that makes him a decent each-way bet.
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