2024 Cheltenham November Meeting: Day 2 Preview

Invariably the best day of the week for horse racing fans, this Saturday is no exception, as the Cheltenham November Meeting rolls into a second day. With seven events on offer, Day 2 is the pick of the days in terms of quantity and delivers quality in spades.

Key early season trials from the Triumph Hurdle and Arkle Chase top the bill from a class perspective, whilst the always excellent Paddy Power Gold Cup looks as enthralling as ever. Throw in an event for the amateur riders, an informative Bumper, and a pair of competitive handicaps, and you have another not-to-be-missed fixture from Prestbury Park.

As ever, we can’t resist enhancing the entertainment with a bet or two. Read on to discover the runners who will carry our cash on Saturday afternoon.

12:35 Cheltenham - JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle, Grade 2, 2m½f 

We have a rare chance to see the three-year-old runners tackling hurdles in the opener. The 2024 line-up includes a host of intriguing contenders, including the hattrick-seeking mare Prairie Angel from the Joseph O’Brien operation, and My Noble Lord, who created a favourable impression when scoring on debut at Chepstow.

Continuance is another debut winner and looks a few points too big at 25/1 in places, but our vote goes to the James Owen runner, East India Dock. A dual winner over staying trips on the flat for James Fanshawe, he took to hurdles like a duck to water when sauntering home at Wincanton on debut. This demands more, but we were impressed by that display and suspect he has much more in the locker.

Recommended Bet: East India Dock to win @ 5/2 with bet365.

1:10 Cheltenham – Steel Plate & Sections Ltd Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase, Class 3, 3m1f

Course winner Come On Teddy currently heads the betting in this competitive handicap and is beginning to look well handicapped off 124. However, he was never quite at his best last season, and we must take his wellbeing on trust following a 242-day break.

2021 winner Strictlyadancer is only 1lb higher this year but will need to show much more than he has in three starts so far this term. Stablemate Cap Du Nord is well handicapped on his best form but showed little on his seasonal return.

Jimmy The Digger is the pick of the each-way options having finished a slightly unlucky second to The Newest One last time out, but this can go to the Irish raider Road To Return. Hailing from the yard of Tony Martin, this seven-year-old is one of the youngsters in the line-up and may have room to progress from a mark of 116. Showing promise when fourth on his comeback at Punchestown, he can step forward to take this.

Recommended Bet: Road To Return to win @ 5/1 with bet365.

1:45 Cheltenham – Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase, Grade 2, 2m

Counting Put The Kettle On, Eldorado Allen, and Banbridge amongst the recent winners, this contest regularly falls to a runner who goes on to make their presence felt in Grade 1 company.

Having scored at this track over hurdles, the Neil King-trained Lookaway looks primed to go well from the front. He handled the switch to fences well when landing a 2-runner event on debut at Uttoxeter and should go close if settling into an early rhythm.

As likeable as Lookaway is, his hurdles rating of 137 is 11lbs below that of L’eau du Sud and he must compete off level weights here. That looks a tall order against a horse who also boasts solid course form, having filled the runners-up position in the County Hurdle at the March Festival. Facing more experienced rivals on chase debut at Stratford, he made one mistake at the fourth fence but was otherwise excellent on his way to an easy 10l success. He looks like the class act in this field and may prove tough to beat.

Recommended Bet: L’Eau du Sud to win @ 10/11 with BetVictor.

2:20 Cheltenham – Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase, Premier Handicap, 2m4f

Next up, the feature event of the day as a field of fifteen sets out in this £150,000 event. The Paul Nicholls-trained Ginny’s Destiny heads the betting and may replicate the win of stablemate Stage Star in the 2023 edition. Boasting excellent form at the track, and with the possibility of improvement to come, it is hard to fault his claims. However, he arrives without the benefit of a run this season and is a little short for our liking at around the 3/1 mark.

Dual course and distance winner (including the 2022 edition of this) Ga Law is another to make to note, having posted an encouraging second on his seasonal return at Chepstow. However, he hasn’t been missed by the market and, with many firms offering additional places, we prefer an each-way punt.

Ryanair Chase winner Protektorat is the proven class act in the field and appeals at a double-figure price, despite carrying top weight of 12st. However, we prefer the claims of Weveallbeencaught. Formerly based with Nigel Twiston-Davies, this seven-year-old failed to deliver on his tall reputation last season. However, he is enjoying life in Wales and posted a most encouraging display when staying on well to grab second over this track and trip last time. He is up to a mark of 141, but that’s only 2lb higher than his peak hurdles rating and he always looked the sort to scale greater heights over fences. Hopefully, starting here.

Recommended Bet: Weveallbeencaught each way @ 25/1 with BetVictor

2:55 Cheltenham – From The Horses Mouth Podcast Handicap Hurdle, Class 2, 3m

Dan Skelton has made an electric start to the season and boasts solid claims of adding to his haul with Doyen Quest in this event. Rounding off 2023/24 with a win over 2m4½f on the New Course, his style of running suggests this step-up in trip ought to suit. Fit and well following a comeback second at Chepstow, he deserves his place amongst the market leaders.

Gavin Cromwell’s Noble Birth is another to consider, despite disappointing at this track in the past. The one we like best of all is the David Pipe-trained seven-year-old, Thanksforthehelp. Heavily backed for the Pertemps Network Final on his only previous visit to this course, he finished in midfield that day. However, he only went down by 8l on ground far softer than ideal and is fully 10lbs lower ahead of this assignment. With the weather unseasonably dry for this time of year, the going is in his favour, and he looks a solid bet to at least make the frame. 

Recommended Bet: Thanksforthehelp each way @ 9/1 with BetVictor

3:30 Cheltenham - Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle, Class 3, 2m5f

Ben Pauling’s Champagne Twist has made his way to the head of the market in this typically competitive affair and boasts sound claims - if returning to the level of his Grade 3 handicap win at Sandown last season. However, he was well beaten first time out last season and underwhelmed in his only previous visit to Prestbury Park.

The Tony Martin-trained four-year-old Hamsiyann is the potential big improver in the field, whilst Wyenot brings solid form to the race having scored at the track last time out. She is up 6lb in a tougher race but shouldn’t be far away.

With no clear standout to our eyes, the horse who may represent a touch of each-way value is the Philip Hobbs & Johnson White challenger, Wonderful Eagle. In his only previous outing at this track over a staying distance, he finished a solid fourth to the talented Springwell Bay. Only 3¾l adrift at the line, he may well have finished closer but for a trio of jumping errors. Hurdling does remain a slight issue, but he was much better at Newton Abbott when scoring off a mark of 110 in September. Boasting an impressive engine, we like his chances of going close off this 7lb higher mark. 

Recommended Bet: Wonderful Eagle each way @ 9/1 with bet365  

4:00 Cheltenham - Karndean Designflooring Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race, Listed, 2m½f 

The trickiest contest of all concludes the action. Thirteen go to post in this Bumper for the mares – seven of whom won last time out.

With so little form to go on, it is tempting to simply back the Willie Mullins filly Korinthia to follow in the hoofprints of Baby Kate, who landed the 2023 edition for the all-conquering yard. She’s unlikely to be among the yards leading lights this term but arrives seeking a hattrick and could be up to the task.

However, we will take on the likely market leader with a small bet on the Fergal O’Brien mare Siog Geal. The form of this one’s Point-to-Point win is working out well, with the runner-up Jasmine d’Airy landing a Tipperary Bumper by six lengths on her debut under rules. Siog Geal managed only second at Aintree but paid for being held up in a race where the winner received way too much rope out in front. On that evidence, this stiff track ought to suit and she could be the one to upset the Mullins raider.

Recommended Bet: Siog Geal to win @ Best Morning Price

Paul Harrison

Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.