ITV Racing Tips: Can Easysland Roll Tiger over again at Cheltenham?
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The National Hunt season will turn up another notch at Cheltenham on Friday as the three-day November Meeting gets underway on ITV4.
Friday’s card will see four races screened live on the box, including Tiger Roll’s battle with Easysland in the Cross Country and a red-hot renewal of the Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase. We reckon it’s going to be another cracking afternoon with plenty of Festival pointers, and it’s one we’ve previewed in our ITV Racing Tips.
13:50 Cheltenham – Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase
There are plenty of chances at the top of the market in the opening race of the afternoon on ITV, but it could be worth taking a look at Fanion D’Estruval for Venetia Williams.
The five-year-old was a consistent winner in France and bolted up on his British debut last season ahead of Sully D’Oc AA, who has subsequently come out and pummelled a good field at Ascot this term.
Fanion D’Estruval’s next run in a Grade 2 at Kempton saw him finish fourth behind some decent types who set a frantic pace, so he could be worth here in a race that should be more evenly run.
Elsewhere, Magic Saint is 0/3 around Cheltenham but will be more at home back at 2m, while On The Slopes finished a good third here on Trials Day and represents perhaps the biggest danger.
Beat The Judge is also a significant danger after coming home third over course and distance last month despite doing plenty wrong in the closing stages, although the yard are in poor form.
14:25 Cheltenham – SSS Super Alloys Supports Racing Welfare Novices’ Chase
Dan and Harry Skelton both think a lot of novice chaser Protektorat, and he could go off a warm favourite after marking his debut over fences with a 7l win at Carlisle.
It wasn’t the margin of victory that made his first try over the larger obstacles so impressive, rather the way he approached his fences, with some huge jumps on the way round. Positive tactics definitely helped the progressive seven-year-old, and after showing a tendency to jump slightly left, he should be right at home round Cheltenham.
Southfield Stone, who finished runner-up in a Grade 2 at Kempton last season, appears to be the only real danger after making all over course and distance last month following wind surgery. He can’t be dismissed lightly for the in-form Paul Nicholls yard.
15:00 Cheltenham – Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
This is without doubt the most fascinating race of the afternoon, and it’s likely to boil down to a match between Grand National hero Tiger Roll and the unbeaten Easysland for prolific owner J.P. McManus.
The former comes into this off the back of a spin on the flat at Navan, but that little tune-up might not be enough to turn around the form with Easysland, who dished out a 17l hammering when the pair last met at the Festival.
David Cottin’s overseas raider remains unbeaten and is difficult to oppose based on the way he ate up the Prestbury Park fences both at the Festival and in this contest 12 months ago.
He’s absolutely the one to beat, and there’s almost certainly more to come from him given he’s only a six-year-old. It could end up being a question of how much he wins by, rather than if he wins today.
15:35 Cheltenham – Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
Does He Know opened his account for the season at Ludlow at the beginning of last month before following up in good style in decent race over course and distance three weeks ago.
He looks set to go off as the clear favourite here as he bids to make it three from three this term, with impressive Chepstow scorer Grand Mogul his most likely challenger.
Nicky Henderson’s inmate is capable of more after putting last season’s disappointment behind him, while Dan Skelton reckons Wild Romance has a decent chance of picking up some black-type too.
ITV Racing Schedule, Friday 13th November
13:50 Cheltenham – Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase
14:25 Cheltenham – SSS Super Alloys Supports Racing Welfare Novices’ Chase
15:00 Cheltenham – Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
15:35 Cheltenham – Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
