There’s nothing quite like Cheltenham and The November Meeting really does mark the start of the big action with so many high class contests.
I’ve provided some topline trends for 5 races across the 3-day fixture, including the Grade 2’s plus the Greatwood hurdle. There is also a separate article with a deep dive into the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
That’s not all though, I’ve also given a line on every other race across this meeting meaning you’ve got some knowledge for every single race!
Day One – Friday
Two Grade 2’s kick off the November meeting although there is a change to this years’ Friday card with the Cross Country Chase being cancelled due to firm ground and that race has been rescheduled for Trials Day on Saturday 30th January. Instead, there is a 2m4f Veterans’ Handicap Chase that has been added, just as it was back in 2016.
Conditional Jockey’s Handicap Hurdle – 2m5f
Back in 2015 we saw Unowhatimeanharry making his debut for Harry Fry when landing this contest off a mark off 123 under an 8lb claimer before he went on to land the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in the same season.
Harry Fry trained the next two winners of this race and since 2016 all bar one winner was aged 5 and only two winners were outside of the front two in the betting.
Novices’ Chase (The Doctor Fothergill Novices’ Chase) – 3m1f
Thistlecrack took this race on his chasing debut at the age of 8 back in 2016 before landing the King George as a Novice and finding himself as favourite for that years’ Gold Cup but was ruled out due to injury.
Wholestone has won the race since as an 8yo and he came from the October meetings’ Novice Chase just like Vicente, Black Corton, Broadway Boy and Hyland have done in recent years. Only 2 of those won both races, so don’t be afraid of a horse beaten in that contest coming in here and slight preference goes to those younger than 8.
Shloer Chase (Grade 2 The Cheltenham Chase) – 2m
This race was born in 2009 and since then only one winner did not come from the front 2 in the betting and that was back in 2010.
In the first 4 running’s there were 3 winners who were aged older than 8 but since then it’s only Sprinter Sacre who has succeeded beyond that age.
- ALL of the last 15 winners came from the top 2 in the betting
- ALL of the last 13 winners has NOT fallen in their career (the previous 5 all had)
- ALL of the last 11 winners has won at least a Grade 2 before now
- ALL of the last 9 winners had NOT run that season
- 12 of the last 13 winners were no older than 8
- 8 of the last 11 winners had won at Cheltenham before now
Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2 The Hyde) – 2m5f
There have been some big named winners of this contest but often the winner will come up short in March, although plenty have gone close at The Festival.
It’s been a race dominated by 5yo’s, who have taken 18 of the last 20 renewals, and No Drama This End was the first winner this Century to land this race without a run that season.
- ALL winners this century bar last year had raced that season
- ALL of the last 9 winners came from the top 3 in the betting
- 18 of the last 20 winners were aged 5
- 9 of the last 11 winners won last time out
- 9 of the last 11 winners had raced at 19-21f (the 2 who hadn’t were trained by Paul Nicholls)
Novices’ Handicap Hurdle – 2m½f
Not so many if any festival pointers from this contest although Impose Toi took this in 2023 before a close 2nd in the Coral Cup the same season when sent off as co-favourite. He was the only horse in the last 10 renewals who hadn’t run that season, and he was 1 of only 2 winning favourites across the last 12 renewals.
Day Two – Saturday
Two more Grade 2’s on the second day of The November Meeting but Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase could also be considered as the feature race of the day.
Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase – 3m1f
Both What A Moment and Swing Bill are back-to-back winners of this race in the last 15 years and both were trained by David Pipe.
7 of the last 10 winners were aged 6 or 7 and 8 of the last 10 winners were NOT ridden by a claiming Amateur.
Curiously, there hasn’t been a winning 2nd favourite since 2008.
Triumph Trial (Grade 2 The Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle) – 2m½f
Defi Du Seuil took this race in 2016 before landing the Triumph hurdle proper in March and since then it’s been the Gredley family-owned Allmankind and East India Dock who have come closest, both with 3rd placed finishes at The Festival.
The Triumph itself has been dominated by Irish runners so this might not be a Festival pointer in recent years but there have been some huge names to land this contest including Katchit back in 2006.
- ALL of the last 25 winners had run that season or came from France
- ALL of the last 15 winners won last time out
- ALL of the last 7 winners were NOT French bred
- 12 of the last 13 winners had run in the last 28 days
- 10 of the last 11 winners were unbeaten that season
- 8 of the last 10 winners were 1st (3) or 2nd (5) favourites
Arkle Trial Novices’ Chase (Grade 2 The November) – 2m
Put The Kettle On back in 2019 took this before success at The Festival and she was trained by Henry De Bromhead as was last years winning mare July Flower.
The last six winners were all aged 6 and four of the last five winners were sent off as the favourite.
- ALL of the last 7 winners had run (and won) that season
- ALL of the last 7 winners had NOT won a Grade 2 or better before now
- ALL of the last 6 winners won last time out
- ALL of the last 6 winners had run at Cheltenham (only 2 had won)
- ALL of the last 6 winners had just one chase start and won that chase start
- 8 of the last 9 winners were aged 6
- 4 of the last 5 winners were the favourite
Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase – 2m4f
A race formerly dominated by Martin Pipe has seen varying types win since although the likes of Panic Attack and Imperial Commander show that it takes a classy horse and a horse who stays very well to land this.
I’ve produced a full race article (linked) for this one – Paddy Power Gold Cup Trends 2026: Key Stats for Cheltenham
Handicap Hurdle – 3m
A solid Class 2 handicap hurdle which has seen some very good horses win including Thomas Campbell, On The Blind Side, Sporting John and Buddy One who were all rated in the 140’s.
Since 2008 though, they’re the only winner who held an Official Rating above 135. There have been 58 runners rated between 136 and 144 (inclusive) without producing a winner.
Intermediate Handicap Hurdle – 2m5f
Last year saw this race go to a 33/1 shot but prior to that there had been 3 consecutive winning favourites and two of those were trained by Tony Martin.
The last 6 winners did NOT win last time out and there has been just one winner older than 6 this century from the 55 who have tried.
Mares’ Bumper (Listed) – 2m½f
A new race in 2013 has seen the last 6 winners come from the top 2 in the betting and all of those were 4yo’s.
It’s a good marker of a decent bumper mare with Seo Linn a winner of the Grade 2 at Aintree in the same season and Elle Est Belle finishing 3rd next time out in the Champion Bumper proper during the 2020/21 season.
Day Three – Sunday
No Graded action on the Sunday but the Greatwood Hurdle is a mouthwatering feature race and the supporting card can through up some good horses too.
Maiden Hurdle – 2m½f
Dan and Harry Skelton have landed the last two running’s of this contest although one was an even money poke and last years winner was a 14/1 shot.
Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – 2m4f
Changed to a Handicap in 2022 so we don’t have much to go by in terms of trends, but all four winners were sent off no bigger than 13/2.
This used to be a Novices’ Chase rather than a Handicap but just to re-iterate the standard of the meeting over the years, two Gold Cup winners in Imperial Commander and Denman took this race in 2007 and 2006 respectively. We might not have had a Gold Cup winner since then, but we’ve had multiple future Grade 1 winners
Handicap Chase – 2m
With 7 of the last 8 winners coming from the top 3 in the betting and the exception coming last year when 4th in, it should be a race to trust the market somewhat. Joe Tizzard has trained 3 of the last 4 winners too!
Triple Trade was the first winner older than 8 since 2007 when taking this 12 months ago although he was one of eight winners from the last 12 renewals who had fallen in his career.
Handicap Chase – 3m3½f
Just one winning favourite since 2009 but typically the winner comes from the top 5 in the betting.
There has been no last time out winner since 2010 and eight of the winners since then carried a weight lighter than 11 stone.
Greatwood Handicap Hurdle – 2m½f
Last year’s winner Alexei was the first winning favourite since 2006 but they’re still big loss makers to follow blind. 6yo’s are big loss makers blind too whereas 5yo’s are profitable to follow. The only winner of this contest older than 7 since 1986 was Rooster Booster back in 2002.
- ALL of the last 23 winners were aged 7 or younger
- ALL of the last 11 winners had between 1 and 3 hurdle wins
- 18 of the last 19 winners were NOT the favourite
- 8 of the last 10 winners did NOT win last time out
- 7 of the last 9 winners had NOT won at Cheltenham (5 had run here)
Bumper (Listed) – 2m½f
Ballyandy took this race in 2015 before landing the Champion Bumper proper in March and while there have been plenty of good winners of this race there has been just one winning favourite from the last 12 renewals and in that time there have been 12 different winning trainers.
Harry Cobden has ridden 3 of the last 5 winners and there has been no winner older than 5 since 2012 but only 5 have tried.
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