Cheltenham November Meeting Review: Three things we learned

Action returned to Prestbury Park last week with the November meeting acting as host for plenty of great performances on the track. Here are three things we learned from this year’s renewal.

It pays to watch the bumpers 

The bumper races at Cheltenham aren’t for everyone. On numerous occasions we see people heading for the exits with just one race to go, meaning they are unable to watch the concluding national hunt flat race. 

However, if this was the case at this year’s November meeting, then there might have been some unhappy racing fans as they missed two unbelievable performances. 

The first came on Saturday through Oliver Sherwood’s Queens Gamble, a winner at this year’s April meeting and now a two-time successor around the home of jumps racing – she began as the 9/4 favourite after Nicky Henderson’s Luccia was declared a non-runner.

The four-year-old filly picked off the field one by one and took a wide route on the track to win by a comfortable nine lengths. 

Post-race, jockey Jonathan Burke was very impressed with the performance, as he said: “She’s something special. As she gains experience she’ll get better – she doesn’t know her own ability I’d say. 

“I’ve never got a feel off a bumper horse like that before – she is very classy.” 

Sherwood confirmed she would stay in bumpers this season, taking in the Listed Henrietta Knight Bumper at Huntingdon before the Champion Bumper back at Cheltenham.  

24 hours after Queens Gamble, Milton Harris unleashed a potential Graded superstar onto the track as Gentle Slopes (11/1) bolted up under Harry Cobden in the final race of the weekend.  

Not shying away from how good his horse could be, the Wiltshire-based trainer said: “In my mind, we might go to the Challow Hurdle – we might run in a little novice first. He is lightly raced, we haven’t done much with him and he is ever so easy. 

“I think two or two and a half miles will be ideal – he isn’t a handicapper, he’s a Graded horse, 100%” 

Big words for a horse with a big future. 

Joseph O’Brien still has a love for the jumps 

In recent years, Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien has been limiting his jumps operations in favour of turning his attention to the flat.  

Since the 2018-19 season, the son of Aidan O’Brien has had fewer runners over obstacles every year, however, that does not mean he is without any superstars, something that was demonstrated with well-backed BANBRIDGE on the second day of the November meeting at a price of 7/4.

Putting in a flawless round of jumping to make it two from two over fences, last season’s Martin Pipe winner seamlessly stepped down to two miles and bolted up in the Grade 2 Arkle Trial to beat the 156-rated Tommy’s Oscar by six lengths and the 145-rated Sole Pretender by 12 lengths.  

The four-year-old took lengths out of the opposition at every available jump and the overall time was scintillating – the County Kilkenny-based trainer has big targets for the future with Banbridge. 

“I think we learned today that two miles is another option going forwards – his jumping was what you wanted to see from a two-miler,” said Joseph O’Brien. “There’s a long way to go until the next step but you couldn’t be more impressed with what he’s done there – he’s a hugely exciting horse going forwards.” 

The Drinmore Novice Chase, Faugheen Novice Chase, or Racing Post Novice Chase are being talked about as his next potential target. 

Moving toward the International meeting 

In one of the feature races of the weekend, I Like To Move It, priced at 17/2, saw off 12 other rivals to win the Greatwood Hurdle by five lengths, handing the duo of Sam and Nigel Twiston-Davies a winner on the weekend.  

Carrying top weight off a mark of 142, the five-year-old set steady sectionals from the front and was able to quicken away from the fast-approaching Gin Coco to win comfortably, adding to his two previous Cheltenham successes last year.  

It looks like this horse will be returning to the December meeting in three weeks as jockey Sam believes he could be a contender for the Grade 2 International Hurdle, won by Guard Your Dreams for the same jockey and trainer partnership. 

“He jumped a little bit slobbish but he’s still managed to win – to naturally carry 12 stone around like that can’t be easy,” said the Punchestown Gold Cup-winning pilot. “It’ll be the International Hurdle next and then that answers all questions going forward.” 

He was an impressive winner there, but Harry Fry’s horse in second would be one to watch throughout the season – he looks to be a very progressive hurdler.