Five horses to take out of Cheltenham’s November Meeting

There was some fantastic racing at Cheltenham’s November Meeting with many of the winners looking destined to reach the top. However, it often pays to look beyond the victors and below are a handful who caught my eye.

Coeur Blimey ran a race full of promise in Friday’s extended two-mile race on his first start since New Year’s Day. He raced wide and made mistakes before he kept on nicely and shaped as though he would come on for the run.

This was only his fourth start over hurdles, so his jumping is surely going to improve, and Sue Gardner’s six-year-old will benefit from a step up in trip.

A very useful bumper performer, he has plenty of potential over obstacles and looks well treated. I would be surprised if he cannot win a handicap before the end of the season.

The Ian Williams-trained Kapstadt produced a career best over fences off a rating of 127 in the two-mile chase on Friday and showed a left-handed, stiff track suits him best.

He jumped well in the main and Williams said after the race that the ground had gone against his seven-year-old.

The dual-purpose performer has had a long campaign and, with the ground likely to be testing over the winter, I would not be surprised if connections give him a break and target prizes in the spring.

Having had only three runs over fences, there should be more to come from him in this sphere and he will remain nicely treated.

The lightly-raced Three Faces West shaped with encouragement after an 11-month absence on Saturday when he finished third in this staying handicap chase.

The nine-year-old jumped well out in front before his long layoff took its toll in the testing conditions.

Three Faces West will certainly come on for the run and the Becher Chase at Aintree on December 9 looks ideal for him.

Connections were dreaming of Grand National success last season before he picked up an injury and that race is again likely to be on his agenda.

It would make sense for him to gain experience over the National obstacles beforehand and the 25-1 available with Stan James for the Becher Chase looks attractive. He will surely not be that price on the day if he gets the green light to run.

I strongly fancied Kylemore Lough in this race and was confident he was going to go close until he blundered badly at the water on the final circuit. He had jumped beautifully before that, and Noel Fehily said the gelding was never travelling afterwards.

The eight-year-old weakened quickly and was ultimately disappointing, but he’s not one to give up on just yet.

Interestingly, trainer Harry Fry said afterwards that they had learnt a lot about Kylemore Lough and that next time he would be ridden much more patiently. He also reported that the horse had come out of the race “as fresh as paint”.

The Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham on December 16, in which he finished fifth in last year, is a possibility for Kylemore Lough. Keep him in mind for valuable handicaps this season.

Pineapple Rush ran a hugely promising race on her racecourse debut in this bumper which could turn out to be useful.

Philip Hobbs’s youngster will have learnt plenty from the experience and she kept on nicely without threatening the first two home, who had the benefit of racecourse experience.

Connections must hold Pineapple Rush in high regard to pitch her into a Cheltenham bumper on her first run and she has an attractive pedigree. The daughter of Kayf Tara is a sister to some useful winners and it will not be long before she is winning.