Exeter’s biggest meeting takes place on Friday, as the Haldon Gold Cup hosts a number of aspiring chasers. Matty Sutcliffe has picked one out in that contest, as well as two others.
Published: 1.20pm, Wednesday, November 6th (Odds correct at time of writing)
1:15 Exeter West Country Weekend Novices’ Hurdle (Gbb Race) (Class 2) (4yo+)
The ITV4 card for Exeter’s has cut up a fair chunk presumably due to good ground, with a combined twenty one runners across the card, but I’ll cover all four races in further detail as a result.
A four-runner novice hurdle kicks us off down south, though Wellington Arch is declared for Thursday so we may be down to three. Paul Nicholls has won this race four times since 2017 and three of the last four renewals, so this 4yo Saint Des Saints gelding has to be considered second time up. He was second here last month to the brilliantly named Pony Soprano for Dan Skelton, weakening late on having initially made most of the running.
He was a smart bumper performer last term, finishing third here on debut with the winner now unbeaten in two runs since, and the third Dodger Long is now rated 130 over hurdles. He was again third to Kel Du Large in a listed contest next time out, before impressively breaking his maiden at 4/11F in a Taunton bumper by 15L again, then backed that effort up with an excellent fourth at Aintree in a race that typically works out well, finishing a neck behind Valgrand who’s now rated 140 having bolted up in a G2 at Cheltenham last time out.
Yhprum’s Law fell on hurdles debut when keeping on from midfield, and if that hasn’t knocked his confidence then this well related son of Kayf Tara could bounce back.
Paul Nicholls’ looks the obvious winner in here, though I can’t envisage him starting at a price higher than 5/4 and given the nature of this column, I won’t be advising a bet.
1:50 Exeter – Icl Conscious Of Our Impact ‘Future Stars’ Silver Bowl Novices’ Chase (Gbb Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Deafening Silence 2/1 1pt WIN
It’s a shame this novices’ chase has been cut down to three, particularly given the prize money on offer. Daring Plan has 37lbs and 22lbs to find with Captain Teague and DEAFENING SILENCE respectively, with their handlers unleashing both Stay Away Fay and Grey Dawning in this race last season. Paul Nicholls has a record of 121112 in this contest since 2016, so Persian War winner Captain Teague will no doubt be primed for this. He blew out in the Albert Bartlett on heavy ground, but was a hugely promising novice prior to that and was also placed in a Champion Bumper. I’m surprised they’re starting over three miles with him for chasing however.
Deafening Silence won’t go down without a fight, as he is 2/3 in his career with the loss coming over a likely inadequate two miles at Chepstow before taking the G2 Winter Beacons’ Novices’ hurdle on heavy ground at Sandown to start last season. The son of Alkaadhem was an Alnwick P2P winner as a 4yo for Tom Ellis in 2021, pulling seven lengths clear from 5yo Sine Nomine who’s been a revelation since, including winning the Hunters Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last time out.
The pair would probably prefer some softer ground for their chase debuts, but I’d lean slightly on the side of Deafening Silence who I think could potentially be a slicker, more stronger stayer than Captain Teague.
I’m surprised the pair aren’t more closely matched in the betting, and, using a term I don’t think I’ll ever say again, 2/1 may be good value about the selection.
2:25 Exeter – Betmgm Haldon Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 2)(Limited Handicap Chase) (Gbb Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Scarface 14-1 1pt WIN
The Haldon Gold Cup is of stronger interest, and looks a cracker despite the six runners. That said, very few in here will want this quicker going, and Heltenham will almost certainly be a non runner and wants further. It’s brilliant to see the return of Bryony Frost riding Sans Bruit who was a lovely winner for us at Aintree, but she could’ve brought some French ground with her as he also likely needs a softer surface. Etalon bombed out at Aintree on a good enough surface, but was seriously progressive prior to that, though again his efforts have typically come on a softer surface. Djelo will be fine on this ground, but I’m adamant he’s better over further and he might just be having this run before taking up an entry over 2m4f in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The two I’m interested in most are the favourite JPR One, and his stablemate SCARFACE. JPR One has Grade 1 ambitions and is fairly priced at around 15/8. He should be fine on the ground, but the one who will bounce off this lively surface is Scarface.
Scarface is certainly better over further, but I actually don’t think he was all that disgraced at Cheltenham last time out. The old course is notoriously a sharper and quicker test of jumping, and to a degree he did pass it, before faring outpaced three out. That race was dominated by three who were treating it as a gold cup, and I don’t think Scarface would’ve been sharpened up for it.
This stiff, galloping course at Exeter might play into his hands better than most, and he’s 1-1 over right handed tracks since the cheekpieces went on. His jumping let him down early on in his chasing career, but since those aids went on he is 121135, with the latter coming at Cheltenham and he evidently boasts some speed for this trip given he was nimble enough to win twice around Plumpton.
The Tizzards have won two of the last three runnings of this race, and if Scarface comes on from that run then with a 17lbs swing in the weights, he might be able to topple his stablemate with Cobden on board.
3:35 Exeter – Haldon ‘Challenger’ Stayers’ Handicap Chase (Challenger Staying Chase Series Qualifier) (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-130) – Tightenourbelts 11/2 1pt WIN
TIGHTENOURBELTS was broken by Il Est Francais in the G1 Kauto Star Novices’ chase last season, but Emma Lavelle has been rebuilding his confidence ever since. If the yard can get him back to that initial promise he showed over fences last season, then he’s thrown in off 129 here.
He bolted up on chase debut at Ludlow this time last year off top weight, posting an RPR of 140 first time up. He backed that effort up when third in the G2 Berkshire Chase, beaten eleven lengths behind Hermes Allen who was subsequently second in that Kauto Star. Nickle Back was five lengths ahead of Tightenourbelts at Newbury, who finished second to Master Chewy in the G2 Wayward Lad next time out before winning the G1 Scilly Isles at Sandown. Marble Sands was behind Tightenourbelts, but he’s also franked the form having won off 141 in a 13k chase at Musselburgh before winning the Listed Colin Parker chase at Carlisle on Sunday.
That Newbury form is undoubtedly the strongest on offer here, and I doubt the yard would be rushing him back over fences if they didn’t think he was back full of confidence. He had a pipe opener in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow and far from disgraced in 6th, and if he comes on physically for that effort then he can get his chasing career back on track here, for all I’d prefer them to be in better form.
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