Cheltenham selections Saturday 16th November
Cheltenham’s November meeting continues with the feature event of the weekend – and of the jumps season so far, the Paddy Power Gold Cup. This year’s renewal has stood up well despite the fast ground, and indeed the entire card looks competitive with both quantity and quality on offer. I have selections for four races in all. Waxing Gibbous was second for the each-way bet in the November Handicap last Saturday (advised 14/1).
Cheltenham 12.35: East India Dock
Trainer James Owen really enhanced his reputation with the win of Burdett Road in this race twelve months ago and in EAST INDIA DOCK he has a likely winner of the 2024 renewal of this juvenile hurdle.
A classy 90 rated flat performer, he proved his stamina when winning over 2m at Goodwood in September. Whilst he was a little disappointing on his next start at the Doncaster Leger meeting (race perhaps came too soon?), he was then prepared for a jumps campaign.
That got off to a decent start when producing a workmanlike performance and a 4l win in a modest Wincanton contest last month. I suspect given his stamina, East India Dock will be better off on a stiffer track like this and the experience gained from that jumping debut will stand him in good stead for today.
Cheltenham 1.10: Come on Teddy & Jimmy the Digger
Two against the field for this amateur riders staying contest.
This is a big weekend for trainer Harry Derham who sends out several big hitters this weekend and COME ON TEDDY makes his debut for the yard in this race. The 10yo is probably best known for his exploits over hurdles, highlighted by a big handicap win here in 2020 and a third in the Pertemps Final later the same season, both over 3m.
However he had a fair season over fences two years ago, winning on seasonal return at Uttoxeter, which bodes well for his first start of this campaign today. Last season was disappointing when with Tom George, although it did finish with a second place at Doncaster and then a staying on third over too short a trip at Exeter on his first start for a while over fences. The booking of Barry O’Neill suggests connections mean business today.
JIMMY THE DIGGER won here at the October meeting two seasons ago off a mark of 115 before finishing a close fourth in this race of 122. This season he began his campaign with a fine second in that October race and bids to go one better here from a mark of 113, still below the rating he was earning in 2022.
That run here last month was a massive step up on what he has been achieving of late – for whatever reason he was completely out of sorts last season, but whatever was ailing him looks behind him now. As such he is very well treated and given his performances on this track and at this time of year looks worth chancing again now he is back in form.
Cheltenham 2.20: Imagine & Lets Go Champ
The presence of Protektorat in this race means plenty of classy performers get to race off very low weights and IMAGINE certainly falls into that category.
Another to be starting out for Harry Derham here, he has had just the minimum requirement of three chase outings and a mark of 136 could look very generous. He was an impressive winner on his chasing bow at this time last year, with the likes of Inothewayurthinkin and Galway Plate winner Pinkerton behind. That was also the third win from three first time out runs in his career, so the lack of a recent outing is of no concern.
He was bought shortly after disappointing at Punchestown in January and Derham soon decided to put him away for the campaign, rather than tackle the big spring Festivals. This was with today’s contest very much in mind. A pacy sort, he won’t mind decent ground.
LETS GO CHAMP is very lightly raced for his age having not raced under rules until the age of eight. He has been making up for lost time since and was a winner at the Punchestown Festival at this trip in the spring, relishing the strong pace to run at.
A very strong traveller, he probably did not quite get home over 2f further in the Galway Plate, but I think this race will set up well around the Old Course with the emphasis more on speed than stamina. He is only 1lb higher than his Irish rating which is quite generous and Mike O’Connor’s 3lb claim puts him even more well in.
Cheltenham 3.30: Hamsiyann & Wonderful Eagle
Having been raced at the minimum 2m so far in his hurdling career, HAMSIYANN must surely be unexposed off 111 now stepped up in distance.
He proved that stamina was his strong suit when beating all bar stablemate Alphonse Le Grande in the Chester Plate over 18f in the spring. His performance over hurdles a few weeks earlier at Ascot, also indicated that the 2m trip that day was not adequate enough of a test.
Staying on strongly, he ran out of time to catch the useful Royal Way. He has confirmed a liking for fast ground in those two races so today’s conditions are a positive.
WONDERFUL EAGLE was a fair fourth on much softer ground in this race last season, but that came only three months after making his debut over obstacles. I think he is a better and stronger individual now and he is only 5lbs higher in the weights despite a recent win at Newton Abbot.
That victory means he is now 2-2 on good ground or faster over hurdles so again today’s going won’t be a problem. A win on the flat at Goodwood, plus a recent third at Ascot on softer ground confirms his continued well being and he remains at the right end of the handicap.
Recommended bets:
1pt win – East India Dock – 12.35 Cheltenham – 2/1 general
1pt win – Come on Teddy – 1.10 Cheltenham – 3/1 Bet365, Paddy Power
1pt each-way – Jimmy the Digger – 1.10 Cheltenham – 10/1 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Imagine – 2.20 Cheltenham – 8/1 Bet365, William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Lets Go Champ – 2.20 Cheltenham – 10/1 Bet365, William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt win – Hamsiyann – 3.30 Cheltenham – 5/2 Bet365, Paddy Power
1pt each-way – Wonderful Eagle – 3.30 Cheltenham – 11/2 Bet365, Paddy Power
