Cheltenham November Meeting Day 2 Tips: A 20/1 tip for the Paddy Power Gold Cup

There's some top quality racing taking place at Cheltenham on Saturday afternoon, as day two of the November meeting lights up Prestbury Park. The feature race of the day is the Paddy Power Gold Cup, and we pick out our best bet for the valuable handicap chase, as well as two other tips on the card...

14:15 Cheltenham - Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase

Last seen bounding to victory in the Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree, Dan Skelton's Protektorat will be a leading contender for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, which is off at 14:15 on Saturday afternoon, and it could prove to be that he's a cut above the rest. Paul Nicholls will be hoping to reignite the career of Lalor, who has recently switched from Kayley Woollacott's yard, while Al Dancer and Midnight Shadow are another brace of prominent figures in the betting that can land a notable blow.

However, there could be some eye-catching value elsewhere on the card and one that catches the eye is the Philip Hobbs-trained DOSTAL PHIL, who is a 25/1 chance, and could be over-priced if he can produce a career best in a thrilling renewal.

A winner on his chasing debut at Newbury, the JP McManus-owned raider failed to taste victory again last season over obstacles, but he ran creditably throughout the season and if he can continue his progression over the larger obstacles then he can at least make the frame. He failed to finish on his last start when unseating in a competitive Punchestown handicap chase, but he was travelling smoothly until his tumble there, so he could have gone very close.

Most of his runs last season came over two miles, but he was upped in trip for that Punchestown event, and while the jury is out over whether he can improve for the step up in distance, the Paddy Power Gold Cup trip of 2m 4f 44y could prove to be ideal, and he could well ruffle a few feathers at big odds.

14:50 Cheltenham - Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle

Nicky Henderson's On The Blind Side won the Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle 12 months ago and the Seven Barrows inmate will attempt to retain his crown at 14:50 on Saturday afternoon, but with the burden of top weight he may find it tough. A winner off a mark of 145 last season, the nine-year-old will line up off a mark of 150 this weekend, so that significant rise in the weights could see him come unstuck to a potentially progressive rival.

The one that fits that bill is Dan Skelton's PROSCHEMA, who was hugely progressive over timber last season - notching up four wins in five starts between January and May 2021. A win at Cheltenham in April was the followed up a narrow win at Aintree the following month, and these impressive victories has seen him rocket up the handicap as a result.

That aforementioned win at Aintree came off a mark of 140, and he will take his chance here off a mark of 145, so he will need a career best to take the prize. However, he warmed up for this contest with a magnificent second placed finishing behind former Cheltenham Festival winner Indefatigable in the Grade 2 West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby, and now dropping back to handicap company for this test, the Skelton charge could prove to be too good for his rivals.

He will relish the relatively quick conditions at Cheltenham, and if he can scorch to victory here then his price of 33/1 for the Stayers' Hurdle at the festival in March could plummet significantly.

15:25 Cheltenham - Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Intermediate Handicap Hurdle

Milton Harris is a trainer in red-hot form and over the last 14 days, at the time of writing, he has a spectacular strike rate of 50% from his last 10 runners, so you have to respect anything he saddles over the coming days and weeks.

He will bid for a Cheltenham winner on Saturday afternoon and saddles the eye-catching PYRAMID PLACE in the Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Intermediate Handicap Hurdle at 15:25. The four-year-old son of Authorized was last seen finishing an excellent second at 25/1 at Chepstow, and despite being upped 4lbs for that run, if he can kick on with that form then he warrants a huge chance here.

He was deemed classy enough last season to contest the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices' Hurdle at Kempton Park after winning minor races at Catterick and Taunton, but he could only finish sixth of seven behind the top notch Cape Gentleman. Still with huge improvement to come, Pyramid Place could well progress to a potential 130-rated horse this season, so the mark of 123 he lines up off on Saturday is very eye-catching, and he could well land the spoils for the flourishing Harris and top jockey Paddy Brennan.