The November meeting at Cheltenham - everything you need to know for the first major fixture of the jumps season
While we have been served some tasty appetisers over the past few weeks, it is the November meeting at Cheltenham that is the first big feast of the 2024-25 jumps season and this weekend promises to be no different.
Although Unexpected Party, who finished fifth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup before winning the Grand Annual here in March, was the only runner at last year's meeting to win at the festival, the fixture has a long history of producing March winners so there will be plenty of clues on offer.
While this is a starting point for many on their road to the festival, it's not all about March, and the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Greatwood Hurdle are two of the most prestigious handicaps of their kind during the season.
Here we take an in-depth look at the meeting to help you find those winners . . .
Meeting details
Where? Cheltenham, Old course
When? Friday, November 15 - Sunday, November 17
The big races
2.20 Saturday: Paddy Power Gold Cup, 2m4f
One of the biggest handicap chases of the season and often a stepping stone to top-level success. None more than Imperial Commander proved that to be true after he won the 2008 running, before winning the 2009 Ryanair Chase and the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup, beating Kauto Star and Denman.
Hot favourite for this year's contest is Ginny's Destiny, who brings Grade 1 form to the table having been second in the Turners at last season's festival. However, it is worth noting being a Grade 1 horse in this particular handicap chase is not a guarantee for success, as proven by 2011 Gold Cup winner Long Run (third to Little Josh in 2010) and more recently 2024 Ryanair winner Protektorat (second in 2021). Protektorat is back for another crack, but has to give heaps of weight to the field off a mark of 167.
Ga Law, who took this in 2022, bids to become the sixth dual winner of the race since it was first run in 1960, and the first since Cyfor Malta in 1998 and 2002.
Verdict
Ginny's Destiny, who brings Grade 1 novice form to the table, is a brilliant jumper and goes well at the track for a trainer who is in hot form. There is so much to like and I find it hard to see what beats him.
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2.20 Sunday: Unibet Greatwood Hurdle, 2m½f
Won by some true champions in the past, with Rooster Booster (2002) and Sizing Europe (2007) perhaps the standout winning stars this century, but you have to go back to Menorah in 2010 to find the last Grade 1 winner to take the race.
Dysart Enos heads the market and understandably so, as connections will no doubt be dreaming of Grade 1 glory for her, particularly against her own sex, and she looks off an enticing mark of 131.
Burdett Road boasts a Flat rating of 109 suggesting his mark of 133 is also workable, providing he can clean up his jumping. He looks to become fifth four-year-old to win this race and the first since Old Guard in 2015.
Dan Skelton has won this twice since 2016 and has two runners here. The best bet being Be Aware, who has an unexposed profile and, as a five-year-old, is the right age according to trends.
Verdict
Burdett Road improved plenty over the course of the season on the Flat and, providing he isn't feeling the effects of a busy summer, he'll take plenty of beating off 133. His best performance on the Flat came when making all in a Listed race at Newmarket, so I hope connections stick with those tactics and ride him prominently as it has paid to be up with the pace in this in recent years.
Other key races
2.20 Friday: Shloer Chase (Grade 2), 2m
Prolific Grade 1 winner Jonbon, who won this race last year, is out to showcase his talents and cement his place as favourite for the Champion Chase. The 2022 Arkle winner, Edwardstone, is his main opposition, with Boothill, Master Chewy and Matata also potential rivals.
2.55 Friday: Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase, 3m5½f
Festival winners Galvin and Delta Work will kick off their campaigns here, while multiple Grade 1 winner Fakir D'Oudairies is an intriguing contender. Giving stacks of weight away in this race at this stage of the season has proven a tricky task in the past, so it often pays to look towards the lower weights.
3.30 Friday: Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2), 2m5f
Won by the likes of Hermes Allen, Blazing Khal and Thyme Hill recently, this year's race has the makings of a really good contest, with unbeaten hurdlers Potters Charm and Valgrand potentially facing off.
12.35 Saturday: JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2), 2m½f
The first key race of the season for the juvenile hurdlers often provides some early Triumph Hurdle clues and was won last year in spectacular style by Burdett Road.
1.45 Saturday: Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase (Grade 2), 2m
No obvious superstar in this year's contest, but fences could be the making of these. Last season's Greatwood one-two Iberico Lord and Lookaway are notable entries along with talented handicapper L'Eau Du Sud, who impressed over fences first time out.
Trainers to follow
Paul Nicholls is the winningmost trainer at the meeting and comes here in red-hot form after a scintillating five-timer at Wincanton on Saturday. He has already said he won't have too many runners at the meeting, but he does train Paddy Power Gold Cup favourite Ginny's Destiny.
It would be foolish to ignore runners from Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, given the former's record at the meeting (they are 0-2 as joint-trainers). Joe Tizzard has followed on from his father Colin with strong a performance at this meeting, with two winners from 11 runners.
Jockeys to follow
Harry Cobden and Nico de Boinville are undoubtedly the two jockeys to follow at this meeting, with both boasting exceptional strike-rates and healthy profit-to-loss margins.
Both have strong chances of adding to that haul this week, with Cobden set to ride fancied big-race duo Ginny's Destiny in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Burdett Road in the Greatwood Hurdle, while De Boinville has the plum ride on Jonbon in the Shloer Chase.
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