General / Andrew Hughes / 08 November 2009 / Leave a comment

The Flat season is behind us and it's jumping all the way from here to the spring Festivals. Andrew Hughes looks ahead to a racing week that features some top class Irish action and Cheltenham's much anticipated Open meeting.

"(The Prestbury Juvenile Novices' Hurdle) is the best contest of its type this season so far and is considered a key trial for next year’s Triumph Hurdle."

Sunday November 8

Navan

12:55 Lismullen Hurdle
A two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two hurdle that has been won by some decent horses over the years. Perennial Graded contender Aitmatov was 5th here last time and is up against the progressive six-year-old winner of the Coral Cup, Ninetieth Minute.

1:25 'For Auction' Novice Hurdle
Although only run over a couple of miles, this slog through the likely heavy going is sure to be a test for some promising novice hurdlers including Mouse Morris's lightly raced horse The Hurl who has impressed in two runs since a long lay-off.

2:30 Fortria Chase
A Grade Two chase once won two years running by Moscow Flyer. This year's renewal features old favourite Watson Lake but is likely to revolve around Colm Murphy's Big Zeb, who came so close to upsetting the mighty Master Minded at Punchestown in April

3:30 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase
Another small field lining up for this Listed event over a testing two and a half miles in the mud. Eddie O'Grady's Catch Me is likely to be popular in the betting after his comfortable win at Cork last time, but there is a lot of potential on show here, not least from Copsiano, eleven-length winner of a Punchestown Beginners Chase.

Monday November 9

Carlisle

1:55 Weatherbys Bank Graduation Chase
A Class Two chase confined to horses that have not won more than two races over fences, this is worth watching for potential future stars. Pick of the entries is probably the highly entered Roll Along from the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable, last seen finishing fourth in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Thursday November 12

Clonmel

2:25 Clonmel Oil Chase
A Grade Two chase over two-and-a-half miles that usually goes to a top class animal, with the list of previous winners including Beef or Salmon and Edredon Bleu. Pick of the entries is probably Schindlers Hunt, runner up to Notre Petre in the Punchestown Gold Cup in April.

2:55 EBF T A Morris Memorial Mares Chase
A Grade Three race for mares that is usually competitive and attracts a decent sized field. Paul Nolan's Moskova was a progressive novice last year and is the best of those entered here.

Friday November 13

Cheltenham

1:50 Sharp Novices' Hurdle
The best novice hurdle event of the season so far, this is a Grade Two run over two miles that in recent years has provided some exciting contests and usually showcases a serious contender or two for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

3:00 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
A gruelling event, run over a furlong short of four miles that has gone to an Irish-trained horse every year since its inception and Enda Bolger has a particularly good record, saddling the first three home in this last year.

4:05 Steel Plate and Sections Novices' Chase
A Class Two event for novices that is well worth watching. Denman won this race in 2006 and it invariably goes to a smart staying type.

Saturday November 14

Cheltenham

12:50 Prestbury Juvenile Novices' Hurdle
A Graded hurdle for juvenile novices, this is the best contest of its type this season so far and is considered a key trial for next year's Triumph Hurdle.

1:20 Ultima Frontrunner In It Solutions Novices' Chase
A Class Two event for novices, it is a significant endurance test for these relatively young chasers and it usually goes to a top class horse, with Comply Or Die and Albertas Run amongst the previous winners.

1:55 Servo Trophy Handicap Chase
A solid-looking Saturday handicap, this Grade Three is run over just short of three-and-a-half-miles and is a real test of stamina, likely to feature some old favourites surging up the Cheltenham hill.

2:35 Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase
This showpiece event is always eagerly anticipated. Paul Nicholls has two of the early market favourites in Chapoturgeon, winner of the Jewson Novices Handicap at the Festival and Poquelin, impressive winner of a Cheltenham handicap last month.

3:10 Jardine Lloyd Thompson Handicap Hurdle
An interesting Listed contest over three-miles-one-and-a-half-furlongs, this race is likely to feature a big field and a mixture of experienced handicappers and highly progressive younger horses.

Tags: Cheltenham November Meeting, Clonmel Oil, Denman, horseracing betting on Betfair