We’re back at Cheltenham on Sunday for day three of the November Meeting and another chance over the three-day fixture to pick up some more potential Cheltenham Festival clues.
The ITV Racing team will be trackside again to bring you the best competitive racing, including the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle and the Grade Two Shloer Chase.
SUNDAY CHELTENHAM NOVEMBER MEETING – DAY THREE TIPS
1:15 Cheltenham – mallardjewellers.com Maiden Hurdle (Novices’ Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 2m½f
Point-to-point winner GAELIC PRIDE (11/2) struck at the first time of asking following a switch to Warren Greatrex, scoring in a Fontwell bumper back in February before running creditably in the Grade Two Aintree bumper, where he finished eighth.
The Kool Kompany gelding subsequently made a promising start to life over hurdles at Fontwell last month, beaten around three lengths by Idaho Sun, and he could be capable of better with that experience and first run both under his belt.
His Fontwell bumper success came on soft ground, and given his point-to-point background, he clearly has plenty of stamina in reserve should this become a slog. Expected to improve for his hurdling debut, and with the benefit of a recent run, he ought to go well here and every chance he can get off the mark now over timber.
1:45 Cheltenham – Bottlegreen Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) Cl3 (4yo+) 2m4f
QUEENSBURY BOY (6/1) might be worth chancing on his chase debut for new handler Mickey Bowen, and as a former winner in the point-to-point ranks, the Doyen gelding could go well switching to the larger obstacles.
A heavy ground winner at Chepstow in a bumper on his rules debut, he has been very lightly raced and won his first two starts over hurdles at Doncaster and Newbury respectively in the first half of the year. He was subsequently highly tried tackling the Grade One Champion Novice at Punchestown on his final run of the campaign and far from disgraced, making his comeback at Chepstow last month in the Persian War Hurdle, where he finished fourth.
Interestingly, connections have immediately switched his attentions to chasing for his first run for his new yard, but there could be plenty of scope for him to improve given his pointing background, and this mark could prove well within reach given he’s already shown some fair ability over hurdles.
2:20 Cheltenham – Hine Solicitors Talking Sense Handicap Chase (GBB Race) Cl3 (4yo+ 0-140) 2m
TORNEO (10/1, EW) won twice last term, both times under this rider and having had a recent pipe-opener at Wetherby, then Jamie Snowden’s charge could resume winning ways here if building on that reappearance.
The Toronado gelding proved himself a fairly useful operator in this sphere last campaign, winning twice on only once failing to finish inside the first three home which occurred when falling at Ayr on his final start. His wins previous to that mishap came at Taunton on soft ground and Chepstow on good ground so he’s proven himself to be versatile in that regard.
Returning from six months off the track, latest he was beaten four lengths at Wetherby by Sir Tivo, not helped by a last fence mistake; but he’ll be sharper now with that under his belt and with ground unlikely to be an issue, he can give a good account of himself here.
2:55 Cheltenham – Oddschecker Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 3m3½f
PROTEKTORAT (7/2) has plenty of weight to give away here, but Dan Skelton’s charge is a class above this field of rivals, and the Saint Des Saints gelding should prove hard to beat if arriving here near the top of his game.
The 2024 Ryanair Chase winner at the Cheltenham Festival proved as good as ever last term, scoring at Windsor in soft ground on his third start of the campaign, after which he returned to Cheltenham to finish fourth in defence of his Ryanair Chase crown.
His campaign ended with a fine runner-up effort behind Jonbon in the Melling Chase, and while his record fresh isn’t particularly inspiring, he could hold too many guns here. Softer ground is fine and this slightly longer trip should be within his range, given he’s previously finished fifth in a Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Fitness has to be taken on trust, but the Skelton team have been in good form and he’s worth chancing that he’ll be fit enough to do himself justice and successfully give away the weight to this field.
3:30 Cheltenham – Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) Cl1 (3yo+) 2m½f
This can go the way of SERIOUS CHALLENGE (8/1), who shaped well on his reappearance at Aintree last month, and with the benefit of a run now under his belt Fergal O’Brien’s charge can go close in this competitive contest.
The Fracas gelding was smart on the level in Ireland, and he proved himself a useful sort over timber last term, winning three times in novice company which included twice on soft and heavy ground, so these conditions will hold no fears.
He rounded off his season in April with a very creditable fourth to Give It To Me Oj, perhaps paying the price of helping to set a fairly strong pace. That winner and the third have both won since, however, to boost that form and he probably needed his reappearance last month behind Ace Of Spades.
Likely to be sharper now with that under his belt and a proven ability to handle testing ground, he could go well off a relatively low weight and no surprise to see him involved here for all he needs to find a little more improvement at this higher level.
4:00 Cheltenham – Three Counties Christmas Open National Hunt Flat Race (Listed Race) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4-5yo) 2m½f
BUD FOX (7/4) won a point-to-point in Ireland before being snapped up by Gavin Cromwell, and the Walk In The Park gelding made a telling first impression under Rules when scoring well at Punchestown back in April with a four-length’s defeat of Celestial Tune.
That race has since thrown up a few subsequent winners with the runner-up, fourth, fifth and eighth horses all going on to register success and there is almost certainly more to come from him as he gains further experience.
Testing ground might be the only concern as he’s not encountered conditions this soft, but if he handles this sort of ground, then he ought to go well despite the lack of a recent run.
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