As the Cheltenham November Meeting draws closer and closer, our followers like to know where the early money is going. Our resident expert Adrian Wall has studied markets for many a year and loves to spot an early gamble. He has pin-pointed some early market movers that could be worth following this week below.
Fusil Raffles was the 6-4 favourite for this race midweek but has drifted out to 15-8 currently. The money horse has been the Dan Skelton trained PROTEKTORAT (4-1 into 15-8). A five-year-old Saint Des Saints gelding, he ran out an impressive seven length winner at Carlisle on his return to action last month. That was his first start over fences so there could be plenty more to come.
The winner of this race last year Easysland has been solid in the market all week. He gave Tiger Roll a 17 length thumping in the Cross Country at the Festival in March and has been backed from 5-4 into 4-6 to win this race again. However, there has been some nibbles for Gordon Ellott’s OUT SAM (16-1 into 12-1). This horse hasn’t won for two years and has been highly frustrating for connections. He was 35 lengths behind Easysland in third back in March but he may well hit the frame at an each-way price.
Paul Nicholls is in terrific form at present and his French import Saint Sonnet has been well supported. As big as 12-1 at one point, he is now in to 4-1 favourite. However, Colin Tizzard’s SLATE HOUSE (25-1 into 8-1) is arguably the best backed horse of the race. He was sent off the 4-1 favourite for this race last year, hitting 1.64 in-running but fell. He has two ways of running but he is a Grade 1 winner running in a handicap off a nice mark and he is a danger to all.
He may be a quirky horse that needs everything to drop right for him but WEST APPROACH (11-2 into 9-2) is the money horse here. Colin Tizzard’s ten-year-old was no match for Frodon here at this venue last month but it was a brilliant run in second, 14 lengths clear of the third. The former course and distance winner will have Harry Cobden on his back once again which can only be a major positive. He will be held up and will make ground hand over fist in the closing stages so he could be worth an in-running play too.