Matt Brocklebank runs through the entries for Cheltenham’s November meeting and identifies a handful of interesting entries.
Haddex Des Obeaux (Donald McCain)
- 2.55 Cheltenham, Friday – Shloer Chase
Jonbon goes for a third straight Shloer Chase success on day one at Cheltenham and, given we know plenty about the majority of his potential rivals, the race looks his for the taking and it’s no shock to see odds-on quotes already.
L’Eau du Sud could be the new kid on the block as while he may fall between a rock and a hard place in this his second season over fences, he does go well fresh, will handle most types of ground and represents a red-hot trainer in Dan Skelton.
The one horse that really caught my eye in here, however, was Haddex Des Obeaux, who was a good, free-going, two-mile chaser a couple of years ago and arguably posted another career PB when third to Jonbon in the 2023 Tingle Creek.
He’s not been sighted since, which is obviously a bit of an issue, but after failing to make the track for Nicky Henderson having initially moved to Seven Barrows from Gary and Josh Moore’s, he’s now joined Donald McCain after being snapped up by Jimmy Fyffe for £105,000 at Goffs in May.
I wouldn’t expect him to win a race of this nature but there’s still some unfinished business with this talented performer and if his new yard can rekindle a bit of the old sparkle then he’ll be a fascinating watch in Friday’s Shloer.
Welonlyhavedone (Gavin Cromwell)
- 3.30 Cheltenham, Friday – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Gavin Cromwell was cutting a rather relieved figure at Naas on Sunday. Not only was Grade 3 winner Only By Night his first runner for high-profile owners Robcour, but he’d sent out 30-odd runners since his last winner in October and was creeping towards the cold list.
Cromwell was winless at last year’s November meeting but his overall Cheltenham record remains really strong (15-88 at 17% in the past five seasons) and novice hurdler Welonlyhavedone looks a big player on Friday.
The former point-to-point winner won as he liked (by 12 lengths) on hurdling debut and looked in the process of following up under a penalty before falling at the final flight at Galway last month. He seems likely to relish this test of stamina over 2m5f and remains a bright prospect if none the worse mentally for his high-speed tumble.
C’Est Different (Sam Thomas)
- 1.10 Cheltenham, Friday – Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
- 2.55 Cheltenham, Saturday – From The Horses Mouth Podcast Handicap Hurdle
- 3.30 Cheltenham, Saturday – Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle
After another winner at Carlisle on Monday, it’s clear everything Sam Thomas sends to the races at the moment is pretty well dialled in and his three weekend entries probably tell you all you need to know about C’Est Different.
He won a conditional jockeys’ event at Carlisle on handicap debut back in February and fairly sluiced up just four days later at Chepstow when avoiding a penalty (replay below).
Granted, he’s gone up 17lb in total for that swift double but it could be the revised mark of 109 massively underestimates this horse still, especially with the step up in trip at Cheltenham entitled to unlock lots more improvement.
July Flower (Henry De Bromhead)
- 1.45 Cheltenham, Saturday – Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase
Henry De Bromhead and the November meeting go right back to the days of Sizing Europe and his stunning Greatwood success in 2007, and it could be a good weekend for the trainer this time as the progressive Coming Up Easy goes for his fourth success in a row in Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup.
De Bromhead might already be on the mark by then as July Flower lines up in the Arkle Trial. She finished fifth to Lossiemouth in the Mares’ Hurdle here in March and put in a similar display behind Jade De Grugy at Punchestown but her recent Limerick chasing debut promised plenty.
Prominent from the outset, July Flower jumped neatly as you might expect from one from her yard and, entered in the Grade 1 Drinmore at Fairyhouse later this month, could make up into a much better chaser than she was a hurdler.
Marble Sands (David Killahena & Graeme McPherson)
- 2.55 Cheltenham, Sunday – Oddschecker Handicap Chase
Marble Sands is a horse I was keen to be with a couple of times after he’d beaten Colonel Harry on his return to action in the Colin Parker at Carlisle last November and while it didn’t quite pay off, he ran a couple of smart races in defeat including when second to the ill-fated Springwell Bay here at Cheltenham.
He was being lined up for the Sodexo Live! Gold Cup at Ascot at the start of the month, having prepped in a Flat race at Goodwood, but the ground just came up a shade too quick and connections opted to hang fire.
Rain this week looks ideal for the grey and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him prove highly competitive from a mark of 142 just eight days on from Colonel Harry winning the Grand Sefton at Aintree off 144.
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