Sunday 13th November 2022

Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)

Cheltenham

(Prices correct as of 19:30 Saturday 12th November)

Welcome aboard to this Sunday blog where it’s the final day of the November Meeting at Cheltenham. I’ll be getting things underway with the opener at 1:10 which is a Class 2 Novices’ Chase that’s ridden over two miles. I’m taking a chance on Bardenstown Lad here at 7/2 for the team of Simon Torres and John McConnell. He’s a seven-year-old course and distance winner who has some very solid form to his name around this famous track, most notably when finishing third in the Albert Bartlett at last season’s festival. On his most recent outing, he disappointed on his chasing debut, finishing fifth of seven at Listowel back in September. As a result of that effort you’re taking a chance on him bouncing back here, but I do believe he’ll come on for that effort and he’s the highest rated in this race. The McConnell yard have been having a lot of sucess at these early season Cheltenham Meetings, and I think they’ve got a very live chance again here.

Next up it’s the 2:20 which is a Premier Handicap Chase that’s contested over a distance of three miles and three and a half furlongs. I’ve sided with Fantastikas here who’s currently trading at a best price of 3/1 for the Twiston-Davies team of Sam & Nigel. He developed into a smart novice chaser last term, with his most notable effort coming when winning a valuable novice chase at Lingfield back in January. Following that effort he tried his hand in the Ultima at The Festival, and finished a respectable seventh of twenty-four and then signed off the season with a poor effort in the Scottish Grand National. I think he still has the scope to be a very decent yardstick though for the Twiston-Davies team, and if fully tuned up for this I think he could well prove to be a serious player.

The feature race of the day comes up at 2:55 which is the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle that’s contested over two miles and a half of a furlong. This is an extremely competitive contest, and I’ve actually tried my hand with two selections in it. The first of these comes in the form of Severance who’s currently a 10/1 chance for the team of Kielan Woods and and Ben Pauling. He’s no stranger to big competitive handicaps, and has some solid form in them, most recently finishing second of sixteen in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock back in May. He returned to the track at Ffos Las in October when finishing third of five, and I think he’ll progress from that effort and prove a solid contender in this. My second punt is A Different Kind at 16/1 who represents Brian Hughes and Donald McCain. I actually tipped him up on his most recent outing, where he was very narrowly denied on seasonal return at Aintree in what was another competitive hot handicap. He’s a smart horse who put together a string of victories last term, and if repeating the Aintree run here he’s got every chance of going well.

Concluding my preview will be the 3:30 which is the Supreme Novice’s Trial that’s a Grade 2 event over two miles and a half of a furlong. I think that this can go to Springwell Bay who’s currently trading at 11/4 for Jonjo O’Neil and Jonjo Jr. He’s a highly regarded five-year-old who bolted up by fourteen lengths on his stable debut in a bumper last November at Market Rasen, and returned to the track after a near year long layoff with a decisive victory at Carlisle last month, getting the job done by over three-lengths. I think that this horse has a lot of potential, and whilst this race is populated with many horses who have signficant potential, Jonjo’s mount could well prove to be the best of them. It would be disappointing should he not put on a solid showing.

Points System
4pts – £40
3pts – £30
2pts – £20
1pt – £10
0.5pts – £5
0.25pts – £2.50