Cheltenham November Meeting Day 1 Preview: Cheltenham Tips, Races, Odds and Trends

Tiger Roll winning the 2019 Glenfarclas Chase at Cheltenham

The Cheltenham November meeting kicks off on Friday, as racing returns home to Prestbury Park for three days of superb action. It’s a select six-race card to kick off the event, with the feature contest being the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

It was a race won back in 2012 by Coneygree, so it’s certainly a race to keep a close eye on in the future. We’ll also get Festival clues in the form of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase, where Easysland and Tiger Roll may lock horns once again.

All the action can be watched on RacingTV, with the service showing all seven races. ITV4 will have coverage of four races for those wanting a terrestrial option.

Cheltenham Races

1.15 – Markel Insurance Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (3) – 2m 5f (RTV)
1.50 – Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase (2) – 2m (ITV4)
2.25 – SSS Super Alloys Supports Racing Welfare Novices’ Chase (2) – 2m 4f (ITV4)
3.00 – Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (2) – 3m 6f (ITV4)
3.35 – Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) – 2m (ITV4)
4.05 – Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (2) – 2m (RTV)

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Cheltenham Tips & Odds

The opener on Friday is a fascinating handicap chase to get our teeth sunk into. Not one of the field have winning course form to their name so it looks like a tricky affair. It is interesting that the in-form Chris Gordon team have booked Richard Johnson to ride On The Slopes. The six-year-old chased home Simply The Betts and Imperial Aura here back in January, two potentially high-class horses. He was given a nice introduction over course and distance last month and should improve for it.

Dan Skelton’s Protektorat was well backed in the antepost markets for this and deserves a lot of respect. He is a course winner and won with a lot of authority at Carlisle on chasing debut. However, Southfield Stone could have ran in the Paddy Power Gold Cup but connections have gone for the easier option. He won over course and distance last month, showing a great attitude and should have enough in the tank again here.

Without doubt the most exciting race on the card is the Cross Country handicap chase. Most will want to see a Tiger Roll victory but he doesn’t have a great record in this race and he’s up against a monster of a horse. Easysland beat Tiger Roll by 17 lengths in the Cross Country at the Festival and it is hard to see anything but a win for the French trained runner. JP McManus is a clever man and was quick to snap this horse up. He could be destined for great things in the next year or two.

Kim Bailey has got his season off to a good start and he has a potential star on his hands in the shape of Does He Know. This horse bounced back from more than a year off the track to win doing handstands at Ludlow. He then bolted up over course and distance last month. Midnight River loomed up looking like a sure winner but Kim Bailey’s charge ate up the hill as if it wasn’t there. He is currently 40-1 for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle in March which is a very tempting price.

Cheltenham Stats and Trends

Gordon Elliott has posted a £68.54 profit to level stakes in the last five years at Cheltenham
There have been just two winning favourites in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle since 2010
Ireland has won five of the last ten renewals of the Glenfarclas Cross Country

Gordon Elliott has an exceptional record at Cheltenham, posting a remarkable profit figure. He runs a pair on Friday, with those being Tiger Roll and Out Sam in the Glenfarclas Cross Country.

Favourites have a disappointing record in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, so don’t be afraid to look further afield in the market.

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase has gone the way of Ireland in five of the last ten years. That augers well for Tiger Roll, who bids to win the race for the first time.

Cheltenham Free Bets

Get a head start with your Cheltenham bets by signing up to a bookmaker account and claiming a free bet. With six races on Day 1, bookmaker free bets can come in handy and during the November Meeting.