Timeform UK SmartPlays: Saturday November 16

Though top handicaps are more about horses moving forward, the Grade 3 staying handicap chase at 13:50 sees the first two from last year's renewal back again. That's no poor reflection on the race though, as Monbeg Dude subsequently won the Welsh National and could still have a bit more to offer. Runner-up Bradley went the other way as the season progressed, but he looked as though he was getting back in the mood to run well at this course last month. He's 4 lb out of the handicap here, but that's still 1 lb lower than the mark he finished second to Monbeg Dude from last year and it therefore almost goes without saying that if he's able to confirm his resurgence then he ought to be right in the mix again. Still, this is as competitive as you'd expect, so an each-way bet is recommended at what is likely to be a juicy price.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup (14:30) is an especially difficult puzzle to solve this year, with plausible cases able to be made for the vast majority of the field. If there's a handicap blot among them, it's perhaps not Finian's Rainbow (who would probably have to come back to near his very best to win) but Ballynagour, so he's the suggested bet. Rarely has a horse won with the ease that he did at Warwick back in February and, although he's now 20 lb higher in the weights, that mightn't be enough to stop a horse that could ultimately have a higher calling than handicaps. It's certainly likely that he'll go off favourite for today's race, perhaps a warm order given his year have seen fit to run him alone despite having Dynaste and Salut Flo also in contention, so back Ballynagour early in the knowledge that you may have the opportunity to 'green up' nearer off time.

Friday's results play a part in the final selection, which comes in the Listed handicap hurdle run immediately after the feature (15:00). It's another outrageously competitive race, but Silver Eagle had already looked the strongest candidate before Thomas Crapper, who just held him off here last month, prevailed in another hot handicap on Friday. That race was over 21 furlongs, like the race in which the pair met at the Showcase, but Silver Eagle will be more at home over this extended 25 furlongs and can be expected to improve even when allowing for the evident strength of his earlier form. His defeat to Thomas Crapper was only his fifth start, too, and his first in handicaps, so Silver Eagle's potential to progress is above-average even in the context of this race.

Timeform UK SmartPlays
All at Cheltenham

Back Bradley win and place in the 13:50
Back Ballynagour in the 14:30
Back Silver Eagle in the 15:00

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