Who To Follow On Day One Of Cheltenham's November Meeting

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

Wed 09 Nov 2022 16.08

Cheltenham 15:30

Hubrisko

J: Paul Townend

T: W P Mullins

N/A

Age: 5

Weight: 11-2

OR: N/A

Days: 40

The feature race of the afternoon on day one of the November meeting is the Grade Two Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and what a spectacle it is set to be.We are siding with the Willie Mullins trained Hubrisko who could be a class above the English this event if taking to the step up in trip, which his pedigree suggests he will.

A much talked about horse having been bought by Rich Ricci in 2020 after winning a good event on the flat in France, he made his debut for the yard in January 2022 when third over 2m4f at Fairyhouse.

Sent to the Galway festival this term in July he was a good second of 17 in a Maiden Hurdle and at the same track in September finally got off the mark for his career in convincing fashion.

Last seen at Tipperary in October he was a good third behind stablemate Champ Kiely and Cheltenham festival winner Brazil in a Grade Three.

Stepping up in trip he will need to improve as this is a hot race but he could just be a class above the English.

Form: 13213View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
06/08/23	GAL	18.5	Y	10-12	9
07/07/23	WEX	20	Gd/Y	11-12	2
11/06/23	PUN	24	Gd/Y	11-12	2
04/05/23	TIP	24	Gd/Y	11-12	3
10/04/23	FAI	21.5	Y/Sft	11-7	17

Fergal O'Brien trains extremely locally to jumps racing HQ and sends a good team there on the Friday starting in the Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle with Hurricane Harvey back down to a lenient mark and Oscar Thyne not without a chance.

Looking to go close in the Novices' Limited Handicap Chase, Pull Again Green did not run a bad race at the October meeting and off 1lb lower is a player.

Finally in the last event of the afternoon Evenwood Sonofagun was very unluckily brought down at the October meeting when making his challenge and if none the worse could go well.

Sam Twiston-Davies could be set for a big day at Prestbury Park on Friday starting in the Handicap Chase over 2m with Grey Diamond off 131 a big player.

In the Novices' Limited Handicap Chase he jumps on Super Six for his father who was does have to improve but has a race like this in off past form.

Ballyandy is one of his best rides of the afternoon with the 11 year old making just his second start over fences off a 3lb lower mark than his last win and back at Cheltenham where he has big history of going close in good events.

The feature event of the afternoon is the Grade Two Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and Weveallbeencaught holds some strong form in the book and making his seasonal debut in a race like this is a big move.

Finally, Twiston-Davies rides Mothill in the finale with the Neil Mulholland trained gelding chasing a hat-trick of wins and holds a good bit of form.

Heading into the weekend at Cheltenham the rider holds a strike rate of 21% for the last two weeks, managing to land eight winners from his last 38 rides.