The final day of The November Meeting features the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, which is as competitive as ever and the winner this year could be a big priced runner, as there are certainly some interesting contenders at 20/1 and above in the 2024 field. This valuable race has become a strong form guide for the season ahead and is always an important reference when looking at The Festival with younger up-and-comers tending to dominate in recent times.

Enjoy whether at Cheltenham or watching #athome on ITV Racing or Racing TV.
See you there!

Cheers

The Wine Tipster

1:45 Cheltenham – Cheltenham Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (2m 4f)
Bob Bob Ricard was badly hampered two out when finishing seventh in the contest Lisnamult Lad won here last month and he would have been very close to fourth-placed Guard Your Dreams. He’d looked a natural over fences when winning back-to-back handicaps in the spring before reverting to hurdles to have a crack at the Fixed Brush Final at Worcester and has his conditions today.

Unibet 9/1 each way

2:55 Cheltenham – Holland Cooper Handicap Chase (3m 3½f)
Does He Know (nap) looks a blindingly obvious one for this long-distance handicap.
He was the winner of this from a 2lb higher mark in 2022 and he missed the race last year. In truth his season never got going until some headgear was tried at Doncaster in March, which saw him bounce back to form to win the Grimthorpe. The big Handicap at Sandown in April was a step too far and he was quickly pulled up after losing ground as the race was starting to develop. However, he looked back to form when fourth here last month, just looking in need of the run, and can get back to winning ways today.

Unibet 5/1 win

3:30 Cheltenham – Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (2m ½f)

Cracking Rhapsody warmed up for his first appearance at Cheltenham with a fourth at Hexham when not given a hard race on his seasonal debut early last month. He has some strong form credentials from last season with a Morebattle success on good to soft at Kelso when winning by four and a half lengths, and then he finished third in the Scottish Champion Hurdle behind Fortune and Favour when staying on well. That was a deep renewal with the likes of Afadil, L’Eau du Sud, and Ruband behind him on his final appearance last season, and with figures from 4122113, Cracking Rhapsody had an excellent campaign. If Cracking Rhapsody can be as effective on good ground (sire San Frontieres won on quick ground) as he has been on good to soft, then he is overlooked in the market.

Unibet 33/1 each way

Black Poppy is an eight-year-old having his only seventieth career start and he was last seen back in July at Market Rasen’s big summer meeting when fifth to Castel Gandolfo in a competitive hurdle contest. Black Poppy was right in the mix late on and just didn’t have the pace to go with the winner on that occasion though he was certainly staying on.

Black Poppy certainly performs well at Cheltenham over this trip having won over this distance at the April 2023 meeting and then he was second at The Showcase meeting in the same year. He is certainly well suited by the course, the good going is in his favour and he has run well after a break.

Unibet 25/1 each way