Cheltenham Festival Preview: Top Contenders and Leading Bets

Strategic Insights -

The highly anticipated Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase, one of the feature events of the November meeting at Prestbury Park, is set to draw a large and competitive field. Patrick Neville's The Real Whacker, a seven-year-old gelded son of Mahler, stands out as a top contender, having won three times over fences at Cheltenham since switching to Neville last autumn. With three victories at the track, including the Paddy Power Novices' Chase, and a Grade One win in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, The Real Whacker's form is a testament to his exceptional abilities. Despite carrying a significant weight of 12st, The Real Whacker is expected to brush aside the burden and claim victory in the highly competitive field.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Real Whacker, a seven-year-old gelded son of Mahler, is a top contender in the Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase.
  • He has won three times over fences at Cheltenham since switching to Neville last autumn.
  • The Real Whacker's form is a testament to his exceptional abilities, with three victories at the track and a Grade One win in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
  • Despite carrying a significant weight of 12st, The Real Whacker is expected to brush aside the burden and claim victory in the highly competitive field.
  • Ben Brookshouse's I Still Have Faith can win the Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle Registered As The Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle GBB Race 12.35pm.
  • Nigel Twiston-Davies' Naunton stable has been in good form recently and course and distance winner Broadway Bay can give them another victory in the Listed From The Horse's Mouth Podcast Novices' Chase GBB Race 1.45pm.
  • Jonjo O'Neill's Judicial Law can come out on top in the competitive Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle GBB Race 2.55pm.
  • Joe Tizzard's Gyenyame can go one better in the Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Intermediate Handicap Hurdle 3.30pm.
  • Fergal O'Brien's Manothepeople can go one better in the Jewson Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase 1.10pm.
  • Willie Mullins' Ballinrobe winner Baby Kate can make it two wins from two starts in the Listed Karndean Designflooring mares' Open National Hunt Flat Race GBB Race 4.05pm.

Statistics:

  • The Real Whacker has won three times over fences at Cheltenham since switching to Neville last autumn.
  • He has won the Paddy Power Novices' Chase and the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
  • The Real Whacker is carrying a significant weight of 12st in the Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase.
  • Ben Brookshouse's I Still Have Faith has won four times on the Flat and has also scored on his debut over obstacles at Wetherby last month.
  • Nigel Twiston-Davies' Naunton stable has been in good form recently, with course and distance winner Broadway Bay expected to perform well in the Listed From The Horse's Mouth Podcast Novices' Chase GBB Race 1.45pm.
  • Jonjo O'Neill's Judicial Law has been fairly consistent over hurdles and is expected to return to winning ways in the competitive Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle GBB Race 2.55pm.

Sources:

  • The Racing Post
  • The Guardian
  • The Independent
  • The Telegraph
  • The Times
  • The Sun
  • The Daily Mail