2019 Cheltenham November Saturday Tips
Cheltenham NOVEMBER MEETING preview by Dave stevos
The rain that unexpectedly fell at Wincanton last week didn’t suit Garo de Juilley. He ran no sort of race but he is not one to lose faith in just yet. Outofthisworld fell early on but again, I am not sure he would have figured on such testing ground. At least Soupy Soups gave us a run for our money. Advised as the e/w NAP at 16/1, he rattled home for an arguably unlucky 2nd. The Friday card at Cheltenham was postponed due to excessive rain and it is going to be testing there tomorrow. Check out Dave Stevos 2019 Cheltenham November Saturday tips for all live ITV races below…
Cheltenham Saturday Tips: 1.50pm Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
A 3m 3f handicap chase gets the party started on ITV but disappointingly only 7 go to post. Over such a long trip on very testing ground, stamina and an ability to handle cut will both be key. At double figure odds, Potters Legend ticks the two of those boxes. Lucy Wadham’s charge shaped well enough here on heavy over timber last time. It was his first run for the guts of two years and he managed to finish 5th off 134.
He was admittedly 12L behind the winner but he stuck to the task well. Potters Legend shaped as though a return to further would suit and he gets that step up in trip today. He has course form in the book and he was an excellent 4th at the Festival in 2017 off 139 over 26f. That was on good ground, but he has 3 wins on soft and placed form on heavy. So, the ground today should pose no problems. Off 7lb lower than for his fine run here in 2017, Potters Legend is the e/w NAP of the day.
CHELTENHAM NOVEMBER TIPS: POTTERS LEGEND E/W @ 10/1 nap
Cheltenham November Saturday: 2.25pm – BetVictor Gold Cup (Grade 3)
The feature race of the weekend at Cheltenham’s November meeting is the BetVictor Gold Cup. 18 are still standing after the torrential rain and Slate House is the favourite. Colin Tizzard’s charge won well here last time but this is a different kettle of fish entirely. He is hardly the most reliable sort either and at the prices he is worth taking on. There are extra places available and one horse that looks overpriced at monstrous odds is Demi Sang.
This fella was a heavy ground chase winner at Naas for Willie Mullins in January of last year over 16f. However, his form tailed off afterwards and he was pulled up on his final two runs for that trainer. Since moving to Ben Haslam Demi Sang has racked up a couple of wins at 17.5f (gd) and 21f (gd/sft). He is up 13lb to 142 now, but his last run off a pound higher suggests he can still be competitive. He was only 6L behind Guitar Pete in a Listed Handicap Chase and he is now 7lb better off with him.
Happy Diva was just under 3L ahead of the selection in 2nd and he is now 2lb better off with her. Guitar Pete is a best price of 16/1, Happy Diva is around 14/1 and Demi Sang is 501/1! I think Demi Sang could really be suited by a strong gallop over this trip too and the ground should pose no problems. Richie McLernon’s quiet style suits this fella well and with 5 places available, Demi Sang is worth backing each way at odds of 50/1.
2019 CHELTENHAM NOVEMBER SATURDAY TIPS: DEMI SANG E/W @ 50/1 (5 PLACES)
2019 Cheltenham November Saturday Tips: 3.00pm – Handicap Hurdle (Listed)
Tobefair returned to action with a bang here last month, winning over C&D off 149. It was heavy ground that day and he will encounter similar enough conditions today. One suspects that connections won’t want his handicap mark to get much higher than 154 though, especially with the festival in mind. He has to concede a lot of weight to all of his rivals and it could be too big an ask.
At a huge price I think Golan Fortune cannot be discounted. This likeable 7yo had a good season last year, progressing from a mark of 118 all the way up to 141. He won twice on good to soft and soft off 123. Phil Middleton’s charge was also a superb 2nd in a Grade 3 handicap at Sandown off 137 (23.5f sft). Dan Samson claimed 7lb that day and today, off 135, Sam Lee claims 7lb. That means he is effectively 2lb lower than at Sandown.
Sam Lee has had 8 rides for Middleton with two 2nds and three 3rds, so hopefully he improves on that record on Saturday. Lee does know how to get the job done and he has three winners under rules for other yards. Trip and ground will suit and while going left handed might be viewed as a negative, he ran a fine race in a Grade 2 at Haydock last term. Off a feather weight of just 10 stone, Golan Fortune could outrun his odds of 33/1 for e/w players.
2019 CHELTENHAM NOVEMBER SATURDAY TIPS: GOLAN FORTUNE E/W @ 33/1
2019 Cheltenham November Preview: 3.30pm – Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
A 10 runner 21f handicap closes the show on ITV at Cheltenham on Saturday. Treasure Dillon is interesting but he is also in on Sunday and he might wait to see if ground conditions improve. One that could go well at a price is Shanwalla for the Gilligans. This 4yo son of Dubai Destination is out of a full sister to Bertie’s Dream, a former festival winner.
He has form on ground ranging from good to heavy and he won at the fifth attempt in a bumper at Listowel (20f yld). He has run three promising races over timber and his opening mark of 130 looks more than fair. The horse that beat him on heavy by a neck on his first hurdle run (conceding 6lb), The Big Galloper, was a fine 2nd here off 122 last month. With Liam Gilligan’s 7lb claim Shanwalla is effectively running off 123 and with conditions to suit he is the each way tip at 16/1.
