Ben Linfoot free horse racing tips for Cheltenham November Meeting ITV Racing Saturday November 15

Our form expert has two selections for day two of the November Meeting at Cheltenham including in the feature Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Holy moly don’t miss Joly

Paul Nicholls taught Dan Skelton just about everything he knows but the apprentice could beat the master when it comes to winning the prestigious Paddy Power Gold Cup the quickest, providing all is well after the precautionary inspection at 7.30am.

It took Nicholls 25 goes before he landed Saturday’s Cheltenham feature with Al Ferof in 2012 but Skelton could land it in less than half the horses with attempts nine, 10 and 11 running this weekend including the well-fancied Panic Attack.

She’s the choice of Harry Skelton and is quite obviously well respected, but she’s been well found in the market for a mare that hasn’t jumped a fence in public in over two-and-a-half years bar one small-field win at Windsor and I prefer the claims of her stablemate HOE JOLY SMOKE.

The seven-year-old has good form on soft ground having won well at Sandown in such conditions last season in December, when victory in a first-time tongue-tie on just his second chasing start first showcased him as a horse with a future in the sphere.

He won at Sandown again in March in a good little race and while the bet365 Gold Cup proved beyond him from well out of the handicap he got right back on track with an excellent third on his first go at Cheltenham at the Showcase Meeting.

Your eye couldn’t help but be drawn to him that day given the way he travelled and while Three Card Brag and Backmersackme got to him up the hill it smacked of a great prep race as he traditionally improves for his first run.

I like the drop in trip for him, especially on testing ground in a big field, and it wouldn’t be a massive surprise if he’s ridden more prominently given his well proven stamina for further.

Either way he looks to have a cracking each-way chance off just a 2lb higher mark having proven he’s got the credentials for both Cheltenham and a big field.

Skelton is in tremendous form and it goes without saying he’ll have targeted this big prize from a long way out, his habit of popping up in the big races on a Saturday when there’s no Mullins to worry about no accident.

This is a tough race to win, but he’s gone close with runner-up finishers Spiritofthegames and Protektorat in previous renewals and he can bag his maiden victory in the PPGC on Saturday.

The Verdict: Back HOE JOLY SMOKE in the 2.20 Cheltenham

Pencil in Stencil for Arkle Trial bets

Earlier on the card Skelton could strike in the Paddy Power Arkle Trial with Be Aware but the two-mile trip could catch him out and the same could be said of the favourite July Flower.

Both have form over further but it doesn’t take much to suddenly look short of a gear in a two-mile novice chase and I’d rather take the two market leaders on with the four-year-old STENCIL.

Four-year-olds have a very good record in this type of race and since 2020 they are 16/61 in UK and Ireland novice chases (non-handicap) at a strike-rate of 26.23%, the 8lb weight-for-age a handy allowance for the right horse.

Big boy Stencil could be just the sort to take advantage, Timeform describing him as ‘the pick of this field physically’ when he failed to justify 11/4 favouritism in the Fred Winter in March, the very fact he went off so short for such a race an indication of the regard in which he is held.

I loved how he moved through the JCB Triumph Trial when he was second to East India Dock at Cheltenham on Trials Day in January and he’s handled testing ground well in France, so conditions could well be ideal for him.

It’s no surprise to see Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm go chasing with him as a four-year-old and with Nicholls having no representation in the race they’ve struck gold with the booking of Harry Cobden who often comes to the fore at this meeting.

I don’t mind backing chasing debutants if the price is right for all the obvious risks and at 8/1 I’m keen to get involved.

The Verdict: Back STENCIL in the 1.45 Cheltenham

Preview posted at 1540 GMT on 14/11/25

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