ITV Racing heads to Cheltenham on Friday as the November meeting kicks off in style. Our in-house tipster Joe Napier guides you through each of the ITV races with his selections.
1.45 Cheltenham – Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Novices’ Chase (Listed)
Enjoy this race for the name if not anything else. The bad news is that only four runners are set to go to post here, but it does look very competitive, with each of the quartet boasting chances. The likes of Thistlecrack and The Real Whacker have won this in recent seasons, so it can be won by a useful novice chasing recruit.
Though his jumping will have to stand more of a test than it did last time, BUDDY ONE was the most talented of these as a hurdler, so is favoured significantly by the race conditions. He was runner-up in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle over this exact trip in April, and finished fourth in both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Stayers’ Hurdles behind Teahupoo.
That is form well beyond that any of his rivals achieved in that sphere and he is still only seven, so there should still be plenty in the tank for improvement. He was entitled to win easily on his chase debut, as equally as he was always likely to find the Listed Chase at Wexford a tough ask last time against vastly more experienced chasers, including Corbetts Cross.
He did not jump fluently that day, but he is back in calmer waters against fellow novices on a sounder surface, and he may only have to leap adequately to have an excellent chance getting weight from two of his three rivals.
2.20 Cheltenham – Shloer Chase (Grade 2)
The disappointment here is that JONBON faces no new rivals as he bids for a repeat win in this Grade 2. He was a 4/9 favourite when beating Edwardstone comfortably a year ago and is currently available at those odds once again here.
However, if anything that is generous, as he was in no danger in this a year ago and beat Edwardstone twice more since when that rival was in better shape. Boothill was also in arrears of him at Sandown in the Celebration Chase while Unexpected Party faces a very uphill task here.
Nicky Henderson’s yard have become difficult to predict ever since their form collapsed at the beginning of the year, but Jonbon might be the horse to beat over 2m this season. It’s a “no bet” race given the turnout and the market, especially with the betting looking to have it spot on.
2.55 Cheltenham – Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase
Conflated’s declaration means all bar three of this field are out of the handicap, automatically making the Gigginstown runner a warm favourite to land this first run in cross country company. It does mean he is conceding a lot of weight all round, but Rob James’s 7lb claim negates a fair bit of that.
He has been a bit clumsy of late though, unseating on three of his last seven starts, so while Gordon Elliott’s dispatches about him loving his practice sessions for this track are a positive, he can be taken on easily enough. The main pretender might be French raider SWEET DAVID, as runners from the continent have a good record over course and distance.
He was beaten seven lengths over Craon’s cross country course by Roi Mage, a horse who has twice run well in the National. That was off level weights, which would suggest this five-year-old will be far from out of place off a default mark of 140 here. Unlike as is often the case in these races, plenty of his rivals have no cross country experience at all, so he and Felix De Giles could well navigate a decent passage round here and look a fairly worthy each-way bet.
3.30 Cheltenham – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
Gale Mahler almost certainly wasn’t at her best when 17 lengths behind VALGRAND at the Showcase meeting last month, but even with a 5lb swing, Dan Skelton’s charge should have her measure again. Even though his rating has become inflated as a result, he looked a horse firmly on the up.
The main battle looks likely to be fought between the selection and Potters Charm, who is dangerous in receipt of 2lb. However, while he was clearly the best horse in the race when winning at Cheltenham himself three weeks ago, the Gordon Elliot runner he beat by two lengths looks unlikely to be troubling the best of Cullentra’s novice hurdlers this year.
Valgrand’s form looks the stronger, mainly by virtue of his winning margin and he was not stopping at the line. Another Grade 2 victory would make future decisions very interesting for his trainer.
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