Cheltenham’s November Meeting takes place this weekend with the track playing host to three days of unmissable action. With this in mind, we have identified six of the best horses set to take their chance this weekend. Check out our thoughts below, alongside an exclusive Virgin Bet offer that provides new customers with £20 in free bets.
MY DROGO (2:20pm Cheltenham, Friday) November Novices’ Chase 8/11
Arguably the best British novice hurdler in training last season, MY DROGO makes his eagerly anticipated chasing debut in Friday’s 2m4f Novices’ Chase.
A perfect 4-4 over the smaller obstacles, My Drogo was last seen impressively landing the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, form which has been franked since.
He is bred to make his mark in this discipline, and his yard have previous in this contest having sent out Protektorat to land last year’s renewal. If running up to his lofty hurdles mark of 155 My Drogo should have too much for these rivals.
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BALKO DES FLOS (2:55pm Cheltenham, Friday) Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase 9/2
It is a surprise that a horse with the latent ability of BALKO DES FLOS remains without a win since seeing off Un De Sceaux in the 2018 Ryanair Chase.
The now 10yo proved that he was far from a busted flush at the game, however, when running out a 100/1 runner-up behind stablemate Minella Times in April’s Grand National.
Balko Des Flos had shaped with aptitude for this discipline on his start prior to Aintree, and a recent spin over hurdles at Galway should have blown off any cobwebs. Whilst the huge weight concession makes life difficult this weekend, he certainly holds a class advantage over the majority of this field if bringing anywhere near his A-game.
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THIRD TIME LUCKI (1:40pm Cheltenham, Saturday) From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast Novices’ Chase
A mid 140-rated handicapper over hurdles last season, THIRD TIME LUCKI shaped as though he would be a far more potent horse in this sphere when making a very impressive chasing debut over course and distance last month.
Third Time Lucki justified favouritism to score by eight and a half lengths that day, and the form has since received a healthy boost with the runner-up, Buddy Rich, landing a beginners’ chase at Navan over the weekend.
A repeat of that October showing should be enough to see Third Time Lucki make it 2-2 this weekend, with this weekend’s race not appearing to hold any serious strength in depth.
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LALOR (2:15pm Cheltenham, Saturday) Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase 15/2
A Grade 1 winning novice hurdler for Kayley Woollacott, LALOR makes a fascinating debut for the powerful Paul Nicholls team in Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The Ditcheat maestro most recently won this race back in 2014 with Caid Du Berlais, and Lalor is one of two possible Nicholls’ winners – along with another recently acquired stablemate in Simply The Betts.
Lalor ran out an ultra-impressive winner at this meeting in 2018, where he had the likes of Dynamite Dollars and Defi Du Seuil in behind, but he is 0-8 since, failing to finish in both starts so far this year.
If the change of scenery manages to spark a revival in form from Lalor, however, he looks a well-handicapped horse off a mark of 149.
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PUT THE KETTLE ON (2:20pm Cheltenham, Sunday) Shloer Chase
One of the most popular horses in training, PUT THE KETTLE ON maintained an unbeaten Cheltenham record when landing the Champion Chase here in March – bringing her record at Prestbury Park to an unblemished four wins from four starts.
She subsequently disappointed in the Celebration Chase at Sandown where the hard race endured at Cheltenham had possibly left its mark.
This was nominated as an early-season target for connections, and the fact that Put The Kettle On hasn’t been seen since April is of no concern to a horse with form figures of 3111 on the back of 80+ day absences.
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ADAGIO (2:55pm Cheltenham, Sunday) Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle 8/1
The Pipe’s have long targeted some of their very best horses at Cheltenham’s November Meeting, and Pond House have a select team making the journey this weekend – headlined by ADAGIO.
This gelding by Wiener Walzer was a Grade 1 winning juvenile hurdler in Chepstow’s Juvenile Hurdle, and he subsequently occupied the runner-up berth in both the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival, and in Aintree’s 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle.
He reappears dropped to handicap level, with a mark of 147 possibly not the ceiling of his ability, and his yard took this with the 4yo Dell’ Arca as recently as 2013.
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