Buddy One slightly disappointed the column yesterday, but we roll on to day two of the Cheltenham November Meeting.
The Paddy Power Gold Cup headlines the action today, though the rest of the action looks interesting from a punting perspective as well.
Let’s roll on.
1:45 Cheltenham – Lookaway @ 3/1 with Bet365 – 2pt Win
I’ve banged the drum of Lookaway for the Arkle Trial all week, though it’s sad enough to see his price so short compared to his ante-post price of 10/1.
Still, the case for him remains.
His Grade 2 success over Kamsinas, Idy Wood, Williethebuilder, Toto Too, and Act Of Authority from last season continues to work out in the form book and he improved nicely through the campaign.
He tried to give 6lbs away to Iberico Lord in the Greatwood Hurdle when he finished second, and the third from that race, Luccia, completed the season by finishing third in the Champion Hurdle.
Nemean Lion, the fifth, went on to win a Grade 2 hurdle later in the season as well.
After that, he was a good second in the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle and the race looks like a good piece of form with Captain Teague, The Jukebox Man, Johnnywho, and Masaccio.
Although that came on heavy and he finished third in the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle on soft as well, he has an action that looks to suit good ground, and he showed that off when winning on chase debut at Uttoxeter earlier this month.
Beating Personal Ambition, a Grade 2 novice hurdle winner, on his first start over fences was a good effort and he has plenty in his favour here, notably the ground and course.
Furthermore, although L’Eau du Sud has good form in the book, I’m worried about him on the ground.
He won on heavy in France, he was second twice last season on heavy, and his dam won on heavy.
Dan Skelton declared him as a non-runner on good ground in April 2023 and October 2024 which would also be a worry.
2:20 Cheltenham – Il Ridoto @ 8/1 and Lets Go Champ @ 11/1 – 1pt Win for both
I found the Paddy Power Gold Cup a tough race to decipher this year, which I suppose is a good thing in the grand scheme of things, but Il Ridoto and Lets Go Champ makes the most appeal.
Starting with the former, he’s my usual bet in this kind of race, which is a worry.
His attractive mark of 138 (which is actually 141 due to Protektorat’s inclusion in the race) is like a big pot of gold, and Freddie Gingell’s three-pound claim in the saddle is the big arrow in the sky pointing down to it.
The seven-year-old was fourth in the 2022 renewal off 140 when Ga Law had a 13-pound lower rating and French Dynamite had a three-pound lower rating.
He ran a solid race last year to finish third, though both of his last runs in the Paddy Power came as his first run of the season.
Today, he arrives as a race-fit horse, and he won off 138 when beating Fugitif in January 2023.
As for Lets Go Champ, he’s an improver for Henry de Bromhead and his mark of 141 looks workable to the eye.
He held nice company in Ireland over both hurdles and fences, notably when behind Nick Rockett (rated 150), Embassy Gardens (rated 150), and Tactical Move (rated 145).
He’ll appreciate the ground as he won at the Punchestown Festival on good to yielding in May.
Mike O’Connor claims a nice three pounds off his back as well, so he can continue his improvement this weekend.
2:55 Cheltenham – Thanksforthehelp @ 7/1 with William Hill (4 places) – 1pt EW
There’s a good chance that Thanksforthehelp can run well off a workable mark of 118 in the three-mile handicap hurdle.
He bolted up at Chepstow in February 2023 off 117 on good to soft ground before starting as favourite in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival.
He ran no sort of race that day, but his previous runs suggest that good ground is what he likes.
In April 2022, he ran on handicap debut in a 2m4f Punchestown handicap hurdle off 109.
The winner, Life In The Park, is now rated 143 over fences, the second, Rock Road, had a rating of 137 over fences before his fatal injury, and the fifth, Stumptown, holds a rating of 149 over fences.
That is good form, and the race occurred on good to yielding ground.
If he recreates any of those efforts this weekend, he will run a big race at a nice price.
4:00 Cheltenham – Siog Geal @ 6/1 with Bet365 (4 places) – 1pt EW
Fergal O’Brien has a strong hand in the concluding mares’ bumper, but Siog Geal gets the nod over Strong Run.
She is a well-regarded horse at Ravenswell Farm having won a point-to-point in February 2024, the form of which already looks nice as the second, Jasmine d’Airy, won on bumper debut in May 2024 by six lengths.
Since joining O’Brien’s stable, she finished an eye-catching second to Kapability when given plenty to do by Jonathan Burke, and she’ll come on for it nicely.
That run came on good ground and she is the choice of Burke for Saturday’s assignment which is always a good sign.
At 13/2, she looks like a nice each-way bet.
