Cheltenham November Meeting Top Performances
Cheltenham – Jonbon
Last weekend’s racing was fantastic, and packed with some top class performances, and where better to start than JONBON.
We witnessed a top class performance in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham by Jonbon, it was a joy to behold. He’s put away some quality horses there including Grade 1 Edwardstone, hard held all the way and kicking on up the hill.
Off the back of that performance and how well he jumped Sunday, you’d have to fancy him to serve it well up to El Fabiolo now in their rematch scheduled for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. It was so effortless from him and all the way around you knew he was the winner.
Cracking performance!
Cheltenham – Stage Star
STAGE STAR was blistering in this year’s renewal of the Paddy Power Gold Cup and has certainly earned his credentials as a worthy contender for this year’s Ryanair Chase. If you go off the back of that performance and have delved into what could potentially run here, my only concern for him would be if Allaho turns up here fully fit and revved up to make it 3 Ryanairs in a row.
Should be a great watch and I’m really looking forward to it!
Cheltenham – Burdett Road
BURDETT ROAD put up a breathtaking performance in the Triumph Trail at Cheltenham on Saturday and has shot into favouritism for this year’s renewal JCB Triumph Hurdle and I have to say. The 7/1 on offer I am all over.
He now has shown he has become much more settled and has winning course experience under his belt which only plays to his advantage. To come from last to first within a matter of 30 seconds or so was unbelievable to watch, the turn of pace he showed and the way he chewed through the hill was just sheer brilliance. Cobden obviously takes some credit for the ride and the way his plan was executed. All in all just a brilliant performance and is my idea of this year’s Triumph winner.
Weekend Betting Tips
Weekend Betting Tips – Betfair Chase
We’ve been truly spoilt with tonnes of top class racing recently and here we go this weekend over to Haydock and Ascot with some of the best in the game getting ready to open their accounts for the season ahead. BRAVEMANSGAME vs PROTEKTORAT headlines this weekend’s racing.
There was a bit of controversy in the media as it was announced by Paul Nicholls that Daryl Jacob takes the ride on BRAVEMANSGAME as Harry Cobden heads over to Ascot with plenty of rides.
Harry had ridden him on all 18 of his starts and with the way he is riding recently, it seems a real shame and a bit of a head-scratcher why he is going to Ascot over riding the best horse in the yard.
Despite that, it hasn’t altered Nicholls view of how the horse will get on, and says ‘he has taken a real step forward ‘ from his run in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby. Daryll Jacob is an excellent jockey in my eyes and I wouldn’t let that put anybody off backing
BRAVEMANSGAME this weekend in the Betfair Chase. He will take all the beating in this year’s renewal and Daryll Jacob rides Haydock as well as anyone in my opinion.
At 1/1 BRAVEMANSGAME is my first selection for this weekend’s racing.
Weekend Betting Tips – Coral Hurdle
Heading over to Ascot in the Coral Hurdle and I am really keen on Theatre Glory 100/30 to land the spoils this year. The mare from Seven Barrow’s showed she could rock it with some of the best around last season, she ran a very credible race in the Mares Hurdle and showed she belongs to be in there with the best mares around.
She was last seen at Sandown which for me was a real eye catching run, just finishing a length behind Goshen that day. She comes here fresh and the yard in flying form. The ground will be drying all week too which boosts confidence for me.
She will be getting weight from the field too, I think she has a solid chance here.
Weekend Betting Tips – Nirvana Spa 1965 Chase
SHISHKIN 8/11 is my final selection for this weekend’s racing. Now he is plenty short don’t get me wrong but he should be more of an 8/15 shot here against this lot. He beat Pic D’orhy by a widening 16 Lengths over course and distance the last time they met.
The rest of the field does not get anywhere close to him. I’m filling my boots on him here, MAX BET GSI! We’re going to see the best of Shishkin this year. He wins this doing handstands, hoses up in the King George, and then goes to the Gold Cup in flying form to serve it right up to Galopin Des Champs. GSI!!
My Spotlight Horses
Away from the obvious horses that impressed me over the weekend, I have to say that I was really pleased with INTHEPOCKET’s performance against Facile Vega at Navan on Saturday. He looks to me that he is crying out for a step up in trip now and I’d be sending him to the Turners.
His jumping improved as the race went on and he will come on a tonne for that race. He is marked up at 8s for the Turners but if Facile Vega doesn’t turn up there, he will go off a lot shorter than that. Hopefully, we see him back out at the DRF over an extended trip.
BROADWAYBOY put forward an excellent display at Cheltenham Listed Novices Chase this weekend. You would have imagined Sam Twiston Davies would have been jocked up for one of his old man’s runners in the race but instead he was on Good Risk At All who was relatively disappointing.
Tom Bellamy executed a fantastic plan in which he led the whole way round and put the field to the sword with 2nd Place WEVEALLBEENCAUGHT 20 lengths behind him. A performance of that sort in the BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES CHASE (RSA) would see him go close in my opinion at 20/1 it doesn’t seem too bad of a bet. He was only narrowly beaten by Flooring Porter who is 2nd FAV for this year’s renewal but off the back of that, I’d have them a lot closer together now.
Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post Selection
I’m excited to announce that each week I write a blog, if the price and Horse is right then I will be bringing an ANTE-POST selection to finish my blog off with.
As previously mentioned my first ANTE-POST selection for the Cheltenham 2024 Festival is BURDETT ROAD 7/1 TRIUMPH HURDLE. I’m still watching replays of that performance days after the race concluded and I’m absolutely taken back by the turn of foot and how well he quickened up to come from last and swoop into first hard held within a matter of seconds. It was breath-taking…
Now the James Owen operation down in Newmarket is not massive but he does very well with what he has, and I think BURDETT ROAD is going to be his stable star, and for a significant period of time. No doubt Cobden will be jocked up come March which is one of the best jockeys you can have sit on a horse. His comments about him afterward just stem toward more confidence in his ability…
- “He’s one of the best juveniles I’ve ever ridden; he’s good!
- “He was going so well all the way around”
- “Turning in, I was aware of how far from the front horse I was, but I was still running away.”
He was rated 101 on the flat and since his transition over to hurdles, he has taken to it like a duck to water.
I’m so excited to see him back out soon and no doubt he will shorten even more nearer to the time of the Triumph.
Thanks for reading my blog this week ladies and gents.
Hopefully, my selections are better than last week’s underwhelming tips. Nevertheless, we’ve got some incredible action over the weekend to enjoy including the return of GALOPIN DES CHAMPS!
Cal.
