DAY two of the November Meeting at the home of jump racing is a cracker with a deep card with plenty of Festival angles, as well as some strong each way opportunities. In the feature, the Gold Cup Handicap Chase, the top two in the weights The Real Whacker and Stage Star are both Grade 1 horses with exciting seasons ahead. The Real Whacker was napped in my Unibet blog when taking the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase in March with a characteristically front running display, although with so much pace on here in this field he won’t be able to dictate in the way he normally likes to, and he will be a selection for later in the season. With Stage Star, who won here in March with his success in the Turner Novices’ Chase, the same comments apply.

The Novices’ Chase Listed Race looks very tricky with Good Risk At All and Wehavebeencaught both smart novices’, whilst Mister Coffey Unibet 5/2 is still remarkably 0-9 over fences, having ran a blinder when very prominent in the Randox Grand National before the trip saw him fade late on. He has shown his liking for Cheltenham, with a third to Gaillard Du Mesnil this year in March and a second to Chambard (runs in the 1.10) at the 2022 Festival. It would be great to see Mister Coffey finally get his head in front over fences for Unibet Ambassadors Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville.

I’m looking forward to being back at the home of jump racing for day two of the November Meeting.

Enjoy whether at Cheltenham or watching #athome on ITV Racing or Racing TV.

Cheers!

The Wine Tipster

1.10 Cheltenham – Wienberger Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (3m 1f)

Chambard won the Kim Muir at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and struggled to replicate that form last season, although his fourth to Captain Cattistock here at Cheltenham in April was a much encouraging performance. Whilst Chambard is not straightforward, he has the ability and has won on seasonal debut. He can in a very competitive renewal reward each way players for the inform Venetia Williams yard.

Unibet are paying an EXTRA PLACE in this race

2.20 Cheltenham – Gold Cup Handicap Chase (2m 4f) 

Angels Breath (nap) is a very interesting runner for Sam Thomas, who is a specialist in bringing along horses who been out of action for some time, although Angels Breath is an exception, having been thought to be Grade 1 material before his long-term injury at the end of the 2019 season and then not reappearing on a racecourse until January 2023. On that basis you have to think there’s a reason they have kept him in training after such a long absence, and this might be it.

He ran well on his second appearance on return from injury under the welter burden of twelve stone at Chepstow back in the spring, and came back from a summer break to run a very solid race over hurdles here last time at the Showcase meeting, conceding first run (and almost two stone) to race-fit Pinnacle Peak but stayed on all the way to the line when showing plenty of resolution to finish second. That should have set him up nicely for this, he has a workable weight, and it is worth noting that this nine-year-old, who is having only his tenth career start, won a point to point over three miles so stamina is assured.

Unibet are paying MONEY BACK AS CASH if your pick finishes 2nd or 3rd in this race!

Easy As That disappointed at Sandown on his last appearance back in March at Sandown when never travelling and not jumping well to finish last of five to Hudson De Grugy. However, he is much better than that, as he showed with a commanding performance on his previous appearance at Newcastle in February when beating Five Star Getaway by ten lengths. This followed up a good success at Haydock when having easily defeated Ubetya back in January. The progressive Easy As That has won on good to soft and soft, is having only his tenth career start and the Venetia Williams yard are in flying form.

2.55 Cheltenham – Handicap Hurdle (3m)

Judicial Law has form figures of 113312 and he looks the one rock-solid selection to run his race again and should reward each-way support at the very least.

He has been steadily progressive this year, with his stamina very much an attribute when scoring over three miles two furlongs at Kelso two starts back, when grinding the win out to get up late. He then improved again when second in the Pertemps Qualifier here at the Showcase meeting when given a quiet ride in midfield, as he made his ground up slowly enough from three out but comes up the hill well and might have given winner Hyland something to think about with another half-furlong.

You would expect him to make his move a little sooner here, given all he does is stay, but his sheer consistency means he ought to be on the premises come the business end.

Unibet are paying an EXTRA PLACE in this race

Placenet is a classy French recruit who is having his first start since joining the David Pipe yard and looks on a favourable mark of 124. His form figures since May are 142124, combining a good win over hurdles in May as well as a Listed success in July over fences at Dieppe. Placenet’s last start was over fences, when he was a close fourth to Clondaw Castle in September, which was a good run.

3.30 Cheltenham – Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (2m 5f)

Rock My Way can get in the mix here if rediscovering the form he was showing here last winter. His second to Weveallbeencaught (runs earlier in the Listed Novices’ Chase at 1.45) and subsequent defeat of County Hurdle favourite Pembroke is very good form, and he actually looked like he was keeping a bit back for himself when beating the Dan Skelton runner on Trials Day in January. It unravelled a bit quickly after that, as he was outclassed in the Albert Bartlett and ran as flat as a pancake here at the April meeting, looking like he’d had enough for the year. However, on seasonal debut Rock My Way was clearly in need of the run behind Hyland here at the last meeting, when not pushed along after fading two out when challenging. He’ll hopefully come on a bit for that, and this mark looks more than workable if he can recapture his form.

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