ITV Racing Tips: Two Sunday Selections from Cheltenham
The final day of Cheltenham's November Meeting is the sole attraction on ITV Racing on Sunday and while this is the last showing of action, it is certainly no back number. The Greatwood Hurdle is the highlight on the card but away from the big race, Billy Grimshaw has two tips...
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13:45 Cheltenham - mallardjewellers.com Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
This looks a pretty deep contest considering it is just a handicap for novices, with at least a quartet surely hoping to one day head into graded company. Peaky Boy is favourite at the time of writing for Nicky Henderson and made up for lost time in 2022/23 when a smart winner of both starts on his return to action late last season. He is clearly one we are nowhere near at the bottom of, so warrants respect, but in a field this deep I wouldn't make any of the runners sub 3/1.
On one of Peaky Boy's wins last year, back in fourth was Leader In The Park for Ben Pauling and with a weight swing and fences rather than hurdles to tackle, I'd fancy that one to get much closer or even reverse the placings. He is bred to be a chaser and Pauling has already hit top gear this season, but I think they will all have a job on pegging back PRIMOZ if he is primed for action here for Lucinda Russell. He has proven he likes to jump fences already with a brilliant debut win at Wetherby a month ago from the front and with the ground unseasonably quick, that should play into the hands of this two time Ayr scorer in novice hurdles last season.
He was value for more than the eventual winning distance at Wetherby and clearly has a massive engine, so for a yard who really know how to craft the career of strapping chasing types like this I am more than happy to support Primoz at odds of 9/2, at the time of writing.
14:55 Cheltenham - Holland Cooper Handicap Chase
I'd be surprised if we see top weight Nasalam run here considering his penchant for the mud and the expected quick surface, but even if he does I couldn't really have him on my mind with this surely being a pipe opener for bigger targets down the line. Barring the Gary Moore horse, however, I think most of these will be hard fit for this valuable prize and it certainly warrants the competitive betting market assigned to it.
Hymac will no doubt be popular off a featherweight for Harry Fry considering he surprisingly won his hurdles prep and seasonal debut last time out and has proven stamina on his side. The horse is clearly flying at home and could relish this sort of jumping and stamina test with plenty of speed to aim at in the shape of Abuffalosoldier and Does He Know. The latter of that pair has a big chance if he can get a strong early lead as he is very tough to peg back on a going day, but I'm hoping this becomes a real stamina sapper as that'd suit BALLYGRIFINCOTTAGE for Dan and Harry Skelton.
Back in his novice hurdling days he looked full of promise when a staying on fourth in the Albert Bartlett, but things haven't quite gone to plan over fences despite the horse proving to be one who loves a marathon test. He is just a big slow boat but he stays all day and off this mark, and with a prep run at Chepstow already completed, I reckon he is a pretty solid each-way bet considering the potential for the pace rivals to tire each other out.