Cheltenham selections Sunday 16th November
The final day of the Cheltenham November meeting and the Sunday provides the traditional feature of the Greatwood Hurdle. Rather like the Paddy Power yesterday, the race probably lacks a horse that could improve into Grade 1 company during the season, but the race remains a very competitive handicap. I have two selections for the big race, plus two for the 2m handicap chase earlier in the day. Gustavian was a winner for us in the previous column last week (advised 12/1)
Cheltenham 2.20: Dr TJ Eckleburg & Klass Langy
Not too many of these boast good recent form to their name but I have two each-way hopefuls in an open looking contest.
DR TJ ECKLEBURG is a real soft ground specialist, so you can safely ignore his last two runs in a red hot handicap hurdle at Haydock and over this course and distance last month, because he was simply not quick enough to compete on good going. That won’t be a problem today and the last time he encountered soft going, he was a brave winner at Chepstow in February, a similar undulating track to here.
He is only 3lbs higher today and this return to a slow surface will be a big plus. Whilst his hold up style of racing isn’t normally suited to a track like Cheltenham, the missing out of the second last fence will place a bit more emphasis on stamina and allow more of a chance to make up ground from rear. He ran consistently well on deep ground last winter, and still only seven, there has to still be potential for future improvement here.
KLASS LANGY is a bit of a stab in the dark, but my suspicion is that an opening rating of 122, based on his French form could be quite lenient. Very lightly raced, he ran only on heavy ground officially, and showed plenty of aptitude for a slow surface. He won his only chase at Compiegne in March making most before accelerating away in the closing stages.
He is therefore thoroughly unexposed and is a strong traveller who won’t mind making the running here if required, a tactic that often works well in Old Course chases. We will have to take his acclimatisation to new surroundings on trust, but he is the sort of price we can take a chance on.
Cheltenham 3.30: Mirabad & Rubber Ball
If there is a potential top graded horse in the field it could be MIRABAD who was very progressive over hurdles last season and could have more to offer now he is switched to the Dan Skelton yard.
He raced much too freely when last seen in the big handicap at Newbury in February, but similar front-running tactics paid dividends here in December when always clear of a decent field. He has had a wind op over the summer and whilst most of his UK form has been on top of the ground, he boasts decent soft ground form on the flat in France. If the Skeltons can work on settling him in the early stages, a rating of 129 could yet underestimate him.
Perhaps a more solid choice though is RUBBER BALL who gets a lovely low racing weight for this. He does come here without a prep run having been withdrawn due to quickening going at the last meeting here. However he gets his ground today and hopefully Neil King will have got him fit enough for his seasonal return.
He couldn’t operate on quick ground in a Grade 1 at Aintree on his last start, but had earlier won his two previous outings on similar going to today at Uttoxeter and Newbury. In both those wins he was doing his best work in the closing stages, suggesting that both a stiffer track and stronger gallop would play to his strengths, so this sort of contest should fit the bill on both counts.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Dr TJ Eckleburg – 2.20 Cheltenham – 11/1 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 4)
0.5pts each-way – Klass Largy – 2.20 Cheltenham – 8/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 3)
1pt each-way – Mirabad – 3.30 Cheltenham – 9/2 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Rubber Ball – 3.30 Cheltenham – 28/1 Betfred (1/5 odds 1st 5)
