The National Hunt racing starts to shift through the gears as early as Chepstow’s Jump Season Opener in early October but Cheltenham’s November meeting is when it really hits full speed and four races from the fixture’s second day make up the meat of Saturday’s ITV Racing broadcast.
Unseasonably good ground remains likely with no rain on the forecast and it’s hoped that this makes the winners easier to spot, with only a small portion of entrants bona fide enthusiasts of the going.
ITV Racing Tips – Saturday November 16
1.45 Cheltenham – Lookaway to win @ 3/1
2.20 Cheltenham – Ga Law to win @ 6/1
3.30 Cheltenham – Hamsiyann to win @ 10/3
Bet on the latest horse racing odds at Betzone
Lookaway can make light of ratings gap on preferred surface
Scrolling down the entry list for the Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase (1.45) there are two bonafide good ground lovers amongst the entries.
Breizh River is three from three on the going, but given his hurdles mark of 114 is likely to lack the class of opponents such as likely favourite L’Eau Du Sud, rated 138 over timber.
LOOKAWAY, on the other hand, is rated 137 over the smaller obstacles and unlike the market leader has a proven liking for top of the ground, having won three of his four outings on good going.
L’Eau Du Sud by contrast has been a non runner the last two times he faced good ground.
Tip: 1.45 Cheltenham – Lookaway to win @ 3/1
Dry forecast bolsters the case for 2022 winner to double up
Only six of the 15 runners in this year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup (2.20) have previously won on the forecast good going, with the number to have scored on the ground more than once standing at just three.
They are the outsiders Editeur Du Gite and Straw Fan Jack, plus 2022 winner GA LAW, who looks well capable of landing the 2024 edition despite being rated 13lbs higher than when winning it two years ago.
Protektorat’s presence at the top of the weights means Jamie Snowden’s gelding will carry 11st 2lbs, some 4lbs less than he shouldered when victorious two years ago. His three wins from seven runs on good ground stand in stark contrast to the others at the top of the market.
Likely market leader Ginny’s Destiny won his maiden on ‘good’ but his sole subsequent run on the going saw him finish 65 lengths adrift. third-favourite Imagine has never been chanced on ground faster than yielding.
Ga Law has reportedly improved for a summer at grass and surprised his trainer with how well he performed when second in his Paddy Power warm up at Chepstow in October. That should put him spot-on for this.
Tip: 2.20 Cheltenham – Ga Law to win @ 6/1
Hamsiyann stands out like sore thumb on Chester Plate form
Tony Martin is a trainer that divides opinion following his return from a three-month suspension for a doping breach in May, but there can be little argument his HAMSIYANN looks the most intriguing runner in the Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (3.30).
Last seen finishing second to stablemate Alphonse Le Grande in the 2m2f Chester Plate on the flat back in May under the banner of temporary licence holder Cathy O’Leary, the subsequent exploits of his Roodee conqueror make that one look very interesting.
Then rated 73, Alphonse Le Grande received a stone from the selection when winning by two-and-a-quarter lengths at Chester but ended the flat season rated 20lbs higher after landing the Northumberland Plate and the Cesarewitch, albeit he lost the latter in the stewards room due to his jockey’s excessive whip use.
That has to suggest Hamsiyann could be a very well handicapped horse and with the services of last season’s jockeys championship second Sean Bowen secured early in the week there’s evidently a strong suspicion this four-year-old will leave the modest form of his three previous hurdles runs behind.
