Cheltenham’s November Meeting gets under way on Friday, the first of three cracking days at the home of jumps racing.
That’s the headline act, with further meetings from Southwell over obstacles, alongside all-weather cards at Newcastle, Wolverhampton and Dundalk on a busy day.
Our Friday fancies include one for Irish trainer John McConnell, who typically does well with his raids on Cheltenham.
Selections
- Cheltenham 14:20 – Hereditary Rule @ 7/2
- Cheltenham 14:55 – Kauto Riko @ 9/2
- Newcastle 15:50 – Be Proud @ 8/1
Tip 1
Irish trainer McConnell typically does well at Cheltenham away from the glare of The Festival itself in March.
He’s got a 3-13 record here over the last 12 months, coming out at 23 per cent, and he looks to have a solid contender in HEREDITARY RULE (7/2) in the SSS Super Alloys Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (14:20).
The 7YO can trump his main market rivals – Pull Again Green for Fergal O’Brien and Unanswered Prayers for Chris Gordon – in terms of chasing experience and has won 3-6 so far in this code.
The most recent of those was an impressive front-running display at Cartmel in August, characterised by some excellent jumping. That can serve him very well today and, if he gets into a nice rhythm in front, he could be hard to peg back under in-form rider Daryl Jacob.
He’s won over hurdles since, too, and should be ready to run for his life here and he’s one to feature on the Most Napped table via the Betfred Betfinder today.
Tip 2
Later in the afternoon at Prestbury Park, look out for the KAUTO RIKO (9/2) in the newly introduced Glenfarclas Veterans’ Handicap Chase (14:55), an excellent addition for some proven performers to showcase their abilities.
Ballyandy heads the market for Nigel & Sam Twiston-Davies, but jumping hasn’t always been his forte over fences and he’s yet to win around this track either as a hurdler or as a chaser.
Kauto Riko is a four-time chase winner with five more placed efforts in 20 starts in this sphere. He wasn’t disgraced in a Grade 2 over much further here as recently as January and he ran fourth in the big handicap over this trip at the November Meeting in 2020.
He has often been seen to best effect when fresh and returning this time in veterans’ company for the first time, he’s got strong claims.
Tip 3
There’s lots of C&D-winning form on show in the sprint handicap over 5f at Newcastle (15:50) this afternoon, but none more so than BE PROUD (8/1) for Jim Goldie, a five-timer scorer over track and trip at Gosforth Park.
The most recent of those wins came in February off a mark of 80 and he was second here over 6f in June from 2lb higher again.
He misfired after a slow start here in September and then was well beaten at Haydock over 6f on softer ground.
At Ayr last time out he ran a better race and now back on the all-weather and returned to 5f, he could be set for a big run with Paul Mulrennan returning and a workable mark of 76 to operate from.
He looks to be one of the value prospects on the Most Napped table for Friday’s action via the Betfred Betfinder.
