Cheltenham November Meeting Tips: Check Out Our Nap, Lay And Big-Priced Fancy
There's a mouth-watering three-day meeting taking place at Cheltenham this weekend, as day one of the November meeting kicks off on Friday afternoon. On Saturday afternoon we have the Paddy Power Gold Cup, while the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle is Sunday's feature. Here at HorseRacing.net, we take a look at the action at Prestbury Park here and pick our out Nap, Lay and big-priced fancy of the meeting...
Nap - Magic Saint - Paddy Power Handicap Chase (Friday)
Paul Nicholls has already notched up some notable successes this season, and the Ditcheat handler can continue his good start to the season on Friday by training the winner of the Paddy Power Handicap Chase on Friday afternoon. Nicholls' sole representative in the 13:45 contest is the top-weighted MAGIC SAINT, who was a spectacular winner of the race 12 months ago, and he can follow up by emulating that fine success.
A winner off a mark of 152 in this race in 2020, Magic Saint will line up off the same exact figure on Friday afternoon, and having already had a pipe opener at Wetherby last month, the seven-year-old can improve immeasurably and strike gold here.
He failed to kick on after his win in this race last season, as he found himself in the handicapper's grip, but on his last start last term, he showed signs of flourishing once again when second at Cheltenham in April. Now, 5lbs lower than that mark in April, Magic Saint will relish taking his chance in this event off 152 again, and it's no surprise to see him sitting prominently in the betting, and he can duly retain his crown with aplomb.
Lay - Put The Kettle One - Shloer Chase (Sunday)
Only six horses may have been entered for the Shloer Chase on Sunday afternoon, but there are a plethora of proven top class 2m chasers going to post in what is one of the most exciting races of the entire three-day November meeting. Reigning Queen Mother Champion Chase heroine PUT THE KETTLE ON is set to make her seasonal reappearance for Henry De Bromhead, but she could have her work cut out on her first start, and at 7/4 could be worth taking on.
There's no doubt that she is one of the finest speedsters over fences, and having won this race 12 months ago then she has shown that she can sparkle in her first run of the campaign. However, this year's event looks significantly tougher on paper this time around, as last year her main market rival Defi Du Seuil failed to fire, and she only had to reel in the front-running Duc Des Genievres in the closing stages.
She will face much more competition this time around and Dan Skelton's Nube Negra was only beaten half-a-length by her in the Champion Chase, when putting up a career best to finish second, and he is a horse that won first time out last season and could be a chaser to watch this season.
Also taking on Put The Kettle On is former Champion Chase hero Politologue, who missed the chance to try and retain his 2m Championship crown he won in 2020, and the galloping Paul Nicholls-trained grey is sure to put up a bold effort. He may now be of veteran status, but Politologue relishes the undulations of Prestbury Park, and he could be another notable thorn in the side of the Irish raider. Add in the smart duo of Rouge Vif and Sky Pirate and you have a really top notch renewal, and it could just throw up a little too much for Put The Kettle On to deal with, who can come unstuck on Sunday afternoon.
Big-Priced Fancy - Dostal Phil - Paddy Power Gold Cup (Saturday)
The showpiece race of the meeting is the Paddy Power Gold Cup, which takes centre stage at 14:15 on Saturday afternoon, and it's no shock to see Dan Skelton's Protektorat at the head of the betting, as he could possibly be significantly better than his rivals here, and could well go on to much bigger things over fences.
However, in such a competitive race there's sure to be some value lurking further down the market, and one that jumps out is the Philip Hobbs-trained DOSTAL PHIL, who was last seen unseating in a competitive novice handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival, but prior to that he had shown some decent form over fences.
An impressive winner on chase debut at Newbury, Dostal Phil has failed to kick on from that success, but showed when an excellent third in the Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree's Grand National meeting that he can fight it out in these valuable handicap prizes, and with 10st 8lbs to carry he could be a real leading contender at a huge 20/1.
It was somewhat of a novicey fall in his last race at Punchestown, but he was still travelling well before his tumble five fences from home, and it appeared that the step up from two miles that he had been campaigned over prior to could be the making of him. It's all ifs, buts and maybes as to how he would've finished his race off over the 2m 5f that day, but Saturday's 2m 4f 44y could play to his strengths.
Hobbs is sure to have worked on his jumping during his time away from the track, and if he can continue on an upward curve then he certainly looks a cracking each-way prospect in a thrilling renewal.