Six to keep an eye on at Cheltenham’s three-day November meeting
By Harry Allwood
Last Updated: Thu 21 Dec 2023
By Harry Allwood
The racing looks set to be as competitive as ever at Cheltenham over the next three days and several leading lights will be putting their reputations on the line. Here are four horses, plus a trainer and jockey, to keep in mind.
Trainer: Philip Hobbs
Philip Hobbs was crowned the leading trainer at this meeting in 2014 and 2015 and has been in sparkling form this month.
The Minehead-based handler has trained ten winners from 40 runners this month, and will have a strong team heading to the home of jump racing over the next three days. Give all of them a second glance.
His best chance looks to be Gumball, who has created a big impression winning both of his starts since joining Hobbs, and is set to run in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle on Saturday.
Champion jockey Richard Johnson was crowned leading rider at this meeting in 2014 and 2015. He will ride the majority of Hobbs’s battalion, which is another positive.
Jockey: Noel Fehily
Noel Fehily has a strong chance of being crowned leading jockey at this meeting for the first time. Harry Fry, who will utilise him, is in flying form and Fehily is set to partner plenty of fancied runners on Saturday and Sunday.
Fehily is booked to ride ante-post favourite Kylemore Lough in the BetVictor Gold Cup, and Misterton in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle on Sunday, who is also prominent in the betting.
Fehily has enjoyed plenty of high-profile success at Prestbury Park and has ridden eight winners in the past fortnight. He does not have a ride on Friday but will not be grumbling about his weekend opportunities.
Horse: Kapstadt
Race: BetVictor Handicap Chase (1.50 on Friday) General odds: 7-2
haydock-park
19:00 Haydock-Park - Saturday July 20
Kapstadt disappointed on his first start over fences at Stratford in September when he jumped poorly but was much better in that department and looked unlucky not to win when he was second at Ludlow last month.
The Ian Williams-trained Kapstadt is rated 132 over hurdles, so he is potentially well handicapped with a rating of 127 over fences. Also, he proved he handles Cheltenham when he easily won a handicap hurdle at the track last December.
Exitas, who is thriving at present, heads the betting and won easily at Ascot this month. He is the one to beat if he turns up in the same form, but he has a 10lb rise to deal with, and there should be more to come from Kapstadt in this sphere.
Horse: Urgent De Gregaine
Race: Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (3.00 on Friday) General odds: 5-1
del-mar
video unavailable
Finished second in the gruelling Velka Pardubicka at Pardubice last month, which was his first start since he caused a huge upset when he beat the Enda Bolger-trained Cantlow over course and distance on Trials Day.
Urgent De Gregaine meets Cantlow on less favourable terms this time around but the nine-year-old won with plenty to spare in January, which was his first start over this course.
Enda Bolger also runs Auvergnat, who is the general 5-2 favourite, and the Irish trainer’s competitors are always feared in this sort of race, which he has a fantastic record in.
There should be more to come from Urgent De Gregaine, however, and he will be there at the finish provided he puts in a clear round.
Horse: Kylemore Lough
Race: Bet Victor Gold Cup (2.25, Saturday) General odds: 6-1__
This Grade One winning chaser failed to get his head in front last season and has not run since he finished fourth in the Melling Chase at Aintree. However, he still ran some respectable races and was second in a Grade Two at Ascot on his seasonal debut so clearly goes well fresh.
He will be having his first start for Harry Fry, who has been operating at a 33 per cent strike rate in the past fortnight, and has had four winners from eight runners this week.
If the ground dries out, that would be a slight concern as he has run his best races with cut in the ground, but this race has been the plan since the summer and he should go close off a rating of 154.
Horse: Dell’ Arca
Race: Regulatory Finance Solutions Handicap Hurdle (3.00 on Saturday) Odds: 6-1
Shaped with promise on his seasonal debut when fourth behind Thomas Campbell at Cheltenham in October and bolted up at Newbury this month in a competitive handicap hurdle.
scottsville
video unavailable
The eight-year-old is set to meet Thomas Campbell again but has every chance of reversing the form with that rival as Dell’ Arca shaped as though he needed the run.
David Pipe’s stalwart looks suited by three miles plus these days and, although he has a career-high rating of 150 to contend with, he won with plenty to spare at Newbury. There should be more to come from him over this trip.
Related posts
‘He is possibly the best ever’: Five talking points from Dan Skelton’s season
Dante Stakes: runner-by-runner guide and 12-1 tip
Aidan O'Brien: behind the scenes at Ballydoyle ahead of the Derby
Aidan O'Brien: my Epsom contenders and why the Derby is 'the' race
Watch: Aidan O’Brien impressed by Constitution River
Featured offers
Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets in Multis with Betfair
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
Bet £10 get £40 in free bets with Kwiff
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets + Money back 2nd to SP fav with BOYLE Sports
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
Bet £10 & Get £30 in free bets with bet365
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets with Betano
T&Cs Apply
Claim Now
Copyright 2026 Racing TV - All Rights Reserved.
Please bet responsibly
Copyright 2026. All rights reserved