FRIDAY
Friday is the hugely popular Countryside Day. Add in the competitive races, the season’s first Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeplechase over a unique course combining hedges, banks and timber rails and you have a great card which is normally enjoyed by in excess of 20,000 people.
SATURDAY
As the Jump season begins to heat up, The November Meeting takes centre stage. Day Two of the biggest Jump racing fixture before Christmas features the BetVictor Gold Cup (formerly the Mackeson Gold Cup).
The feature race of The November Meeting always draws a large, high-class field and was won last year by the popular Splash Of Ginge and Tom Bellamy for Nigel Twiston-Davies.
Thistlecrack heads the weights on 11st 12lb for the £160,000 BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
Thistlecrack is on the comeback trail, having only raced three times since his memorable victory as a novice in the 2016 King George VI Chase at Kempton Park. He was last seen out when fourth in the same race last season.
Joint-favourites are Mister Whitaker and Rather Be, who finished first and second in the Listed Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase over course and distance at The Festival™ last March.
Mister Whitaker has an official rating of 152 following his two and a half-length victory over Happy Diva in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle on November 4.
Second-season chasers have a good record in the BetVictor Gold Cup, a handicap chase over two and a half miles, and another who fits those criteria is Kalondra, trained by Neil Mulholland.
The seven-year-old won two of his five starts over fences last season, including a decisive course success in the Ryman Novices’ Chase over two miles and five furlongs at The International in December, and ended the campaign back at Cheltenham with a good third in the Barchester Healthcare Silver Trophy Limited Handicap Chase at The April Meeting.
Kalondra fell on his reappearance this term when travelling well in a conditions chase at the Galway Festival in August, and has not raced since.
Mulholland’s other BetVictor Gold Cup entry, eight-year-old Shantou Village is a two-time winner at Cheltenham and ran at The Showcase on his latest start last month, weakening to finish sixth when one of the market leaders for the ‘Matchbook Betting Exchange’ Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong.
That performance came on the back of a respectable fifth behind Snow Falcon in the three-mile Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel, Ireland, in September.
West Sussex trainer Gary Moore also has two BetVictor Gold Cup contenders in Benatar and Baron Alc. Benatar finished third behind Shattered Love in this year’s JLT Novices’ Chase at The Festival™, while Baron Alco was just touched off by Charbel in a handicap chase at Chepstow on October 14.
The recent Monet’s Garden Old Roan Chase victor Frodon, with 11st 8lb, has the most weight of the nine Paul Nicholls-trained entries.
Others to note for the Ditcheat handler include Romain De Senam and the J P McManus-owned trio of Le Prezien, Modus, successful at The Showcase, and Movewiththetimes.
Last year’s BetVictor Gold Cup hero Splash Of Ginge has been allotted 10st 2lb. He could bid to become the seventh dual winner of the prestigious race.
His trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, has sent out four winners of the BetVictor Gold Cup, more than any other current handler, and is also responsible for Crievehill, Ballybolley, and Ballyandy.
Other contenders include Aso, who finished third behind Un De Sceaux in last year’s Ryanair Chase at The Festival™, plus French imports King’s Socks and Full Glass.
SUNDAY
This is the only Sunday where racing takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse throughout the year and the afternoon is lit up by the ultra-competitive Greatwood Hurdle followed by the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices’ Hurdle; both hurdle races are almost always won by rising National Hunt stars.
Verdana Blue, who produced a sparkling display to land the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton last Saturday, was slashed into being the new 8/1 favourite for next Sunday’s Greatwood Hurdle. The Nicky Henderson-trained mare was also quoted at 25/1 for the Champion Hurdle at the Festival in March.
Multiple graded winner Old Guard has top weight of 11st 12lb for the £100,000 Grade Three race. Old Guard (Paul Nicholls) won this race as a four-year-old in 2014 and is among 56 entries for the two-mile contest
The previous ante-post favourite If The Caps Fits (Harry Fry), has been handed 11st 7lb. The six-year-old won his first three starts over hurdles and recently finished second to Verdana Blue in the Elite Hurdle.
The pick of the seven Irish-trained entries, the JP McManus-owned Off You Go, has been given 11st 7lb after completing a three-timer at Galway on October 27.
