Cheltenham’s November Meeting concludes on Sunday 16th November and our top tipster Matthew Sutcliffe is here with his best bets for the day, as he looks to grab some value winners across a competitive card.
1:15 Cheltenham mallardjewellers.com Maiden Hurdle (Novices’ Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Gaelic Pride 5/1 1pt WIN
This looks a good opportunity for GAELIC PRIDE to get off the mark over hurdles, who gave last year’s Champion Bumper sixth Idaho Sun a good race on their respective hurdling debuts at Fontwell last time out, with that pair pulling twenty lengths clear of the third.
The son of Kool Kompany got off the mark in Irish points at the fourth time of asking with the second now a dual winner under rules for Russell and Scudamore, and he made a winner bumper debut himself at Fontwell last February. He beat the 13/8F comfortably there, moving fluently through the deep ground which bodes well for conditions on Sunday.
He was thrown in at the deep end in the Aintree bumper but he was far from disgraced in eighth, and that form is already working out nicely over hurdles. With race fitness, experience and ground preference all on his side, any natural improvement should see him for close for James Bowen and the in-form Warren Greatrex.
1:45 Cheltenham – Bottlegreen Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+) – Jax Junior 7/2 1pt WIN
JAX JUNIOR jumped impeccably well on chase debut at Uttoxeter over a trip that looked destined to be too short, and that proved the case late on when paving the way for the smart hurdler Lump Sum who could be a smart chaser in the making.
Jax Junior was 13lbs worse off with that one thus the sixteen length gap behind a natural two-miler looks more than fine, and he was still able to pull comfortably nine lengths clear of the third. The son of Jack Hobbs was a smart novice hurdler himself, notching up a hurdles double of a combined twenty seven lengths, pulling ten lengths clear from a now 131 rated hurdler on debut.
He then lost little in defeat when a length third in the Listed Sidney Banks, though his momentum halted in the Albert Bartlett having made too much use of himself from the front in a race which favoured those from off the pace. His progress resumed a month late here over 2m4f however, when comfortably beating a Willie Mullins trained runner rated 135 by five lengths giving him 3lbs.
With a rock solid chasing debut over an inadequate trip behind him, I’d expect him to step forward once more now sent over trip his best form has come around and soft ground doesn’t appear to be an issue for him.
2:20 Cheltenham – Hine Solicitors Talking Sense Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-140) – Glengouly 6/1 1pt WIN
Connections have already bagged listed honours with a former Willie Mullins-trained runner in Paganne (ridden by Harry Cobden) and former Mullins inmate GLENGOULY was just three quarters of a length away from giving them another winner in a Class Three Handicap Chase at Aintree.
He jumped fluently throughout and led two out, before G2 hurdlers winner Mambonumberfive rallied late to overhaul him on chase debut followed by a previous chase debutant winner in Highlands Legacy.
That was Glengouly’s first run over two miles since winning a Leopardstown Novice Hurdle in 2022, and his shortest over fences since his chase debut success over 2m2f at Thurles the following season. He’s since played in listed and graded handicap chases including over three miles on heavy ground for his old yard and they clearly thought he’d have the stamina to run in the Grand National, but he appears to be rejuvenated by both the yard switch and the drop back to two miles.
He’s entirely unexposed over this distance, and given he’s still 25lbs below his peak mark for Closutton, any natural improvement form last time out can see him go close for a yard going well.
3:30 Cheltenham – Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Castle Carrock 12/1 1pt EW 6 places
Alan King has won this twice since 2017 and CASTLE CARROCK looks a serious challenger on seasonal debut. The son of Mahler was a sixteen length bumper winner at Ayr on rules debut last November for Nicky Richards, before switching to Alan King and comfortably beating 2/9F Diva Luna on hurdles debut who franked that form to finish the season rated 133 after her Dawn Run third.
Castle Carrock was a nine length third in the G2 Premier Novices at Kelso next time out when too keen to do himself justice, but the 2nd and 3rd are now rated 138 and 140 respectively, and he was far from disgraced when a ten length sixth in the G1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
That form alone suggests an opening mark of 133 on handicap debut could easily underestimate him here, and the drop back to two miles in a strongly run contest will only suit him to take his record fresh to 111.
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