November Meeting: Looking Ahead

Three days of enthralling action at Cheltenham, the home of jump racing, is set to get underway next week.

There is barely over a week until no less than 19 enthralling races are set to take place over three days at Cheltenham Racecourse when the 2023 November Meeting begins. The event starts on Friday 17th before ending on Sunday 19th November.

The November meeting is widely seen as one of the signature events of the jump racing season, and whilst all of the races are worth your attention, there are three races in particular that standout amongst the others. These races are the Paddy Power Gold Cup (Saturday), the Greatwood Hurdle (Sunday) and the Shloer Chase (Sunday).

As previously mentioned, 19 races will be taking place throughout this year’s November Meeting. Friday (also known as Countryside Day) opens proceedings with 6 races, from the Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Race (13:10) to the Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Race (16:05).

Saturday, Paddy Power Day, consists of 7 races, starting with the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (12:35) and ending with the Karndean Designflooring Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (16:05). There will be six races to take place on Sunday with the final day starting with the mallardjewellers.com Maiden Hurdle (13:10), and ending with the Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (16:00).

Here, we will take a look at all of the races that are set to take place at this year’s Cheltenham November meeting for 2023.

The Lycetts Insurance Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Race (Friday, 13:10)

The most recent running of this particular race was in 2022, and it saw 17 horses compete for the win. Ultimately, it was Sweet Will, ridden by Kieren Buckley, who managed to emerge victorious ahead of Fine Casting and Oscar Thyne, who had to settle for second and third place, respectively, after an enthralling race.

The Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase (Friday, 13:45)

The Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase is set to once again be the second race on Countryside Day in 2023. Following an action packed race, it was Amarillo Sky who won the race with Jockey Brendan Powell on board. Kielan Woods on Fugitif and Sam Twiston-Davies on Grey Diamond filled the other two spots in the top three.

The SSS Super Alloys Supports Racing Welfare Novices’ Steeple Chase (Friday, 14:20)

The halfway point of the opening day of the November Meeting will see horses compete for a win in this Novices’ Steeple Chase at Cheltenham. 8 horses took part in the 2022 edition of this particular race. It was Tom Cannon, onboard Unanswered Prayers, who took victory as they crossed the line at the end of the race. Railway Hurricane, ridden by Keith Donoghue and Hereditary Rule, ridden by Daryl Jacob, finished second and third place, respectively.

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeplechase (Friday, 14:55)

Countryside begins to come to an end with the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeplechase. Richard Patrick rode Magic Dancer to victory in the 2022 running of this race, with Broken Quest and Ballyandy rounding off the top three in second and third place, respectively.

The TrustATrader Novices’ Hurdle Race (Friday, 15:30)

The penultimate race on day one of the 2023 Cheltenham November Meeting is the TrustATrader Novices’ Hurdle Race. In 2022, Harry Cobden was able to ride Hermes Allen to a tremendous victory ahead of considerable competition from Music Drive and Weveallbeencaught, who finished second and third.

The Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Race (Friday, 16:05)

The Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Race will be the final race on Countryside Day. Last year’s race resulted in Michael O’Sullivan leading Contrapposto to victory to round off the enthralling action from day one in 2022. Explosive Boy and Master Dancer came in second and third place, respectively.

Now we have taken a look back at the results from Countryside Day in 2022, we will now move on to looking back at the winners of all seven races on day two from last year.

JCB Triumph Hurdle (Saturday, 12:35)

Day Two of the Cheltenham November Meeting will begin as ever with the JCB Triumph Hurdle. Paddy Brennan was the winning jockey in the 2022 edition of this race onboard More Felons, who he rode to victory ahead of Perseus Way and War Correspondent.

The Wienerberger Amateur Jockeys Handicap Steeple Chase (Saturday, 13:10)

The Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase is the race that follows the Triumph Hurdle, and the 2022 race was enthralling. Anightinlambourn, ridden by Jack Andrews and trained by Ben Pauling, emerged victorious ahead of Punitive and Malina Girl in second and third place.

The From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast Novices’ Chase (Saturday, 13:45)

As we close in on the halfway point of Paddy Power Day, the 2023 From the Horse’s Mouth Podcast Novices’ Chase will take place once more at Cheltenham. The 2022 edition of this race saw jockey James Slevin lead Banbridge to victory ahead of competition from Tommy’s Oscar and Sole Pretender.

The Paddy Power Gold Cup Steeplechase (Saturday, 14:20)

The Paddy Power Gold Cup is the highlight of day two of this year’s November Meeting, and excitement is building ahead of its return to Cheltenham Racecourse in 2023. The winner of this highly coveted race in 2022 was Ga Law, who was ridden by Jonathan Burke, who managed to fend off competition from French Dynamite and Midnight River.

The Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle Race (Saturday, 14:55)

The race that follows the Gold Cup will be the Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle. Tom Cannon was the winning jockey last year when he led Annual Invictus to the win back in 2022. Fontana Ellissi and Sidi Ismael filled the final two spots in the top three in the race.

The Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Handicap Hurdle Race (Saturday, 15:30)

Day Two’s penultimate race will again be the Paddy Power Fell Like A Favourite Intermediate Handicap Hurdle Race. In 2022, Unanswered won, with jockey Peter Carberry on board. Wiseguy and Bourbali finished second and third.

The Karndean Designflooring Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Saturday, 16:05)

The Karndean Designflooring Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race will bring the enthralling racing action to a close on day two of the 2023 November Meeting at Cheltenham. Queens Gamble, with Jonathan Burke as the winning jockey on that day. Bonttay and Fortuna Ligna were Brennan’s biggest competition, but they had to settle for second and third place, respectively.

Now, we will look at the third and final day of the 2023 November Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse by reflecting on the action in these six races back in 2022.

The mallardjewellers.com Maiden Hurdle (Sunday, 13:10)

Sunday, 19th November will be the final day of the 2023 November Meeting, and the race to get the action underway will be the mallardjewellers.com Maiden Hurdle. Gavin Sheehan rode The Real Whacker to victory in the most recent running of this race in 2022 after successfully fending off competition from the likes of Indigo Breeze and Bardenstown Lad, who finished second and third.

The Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Sunday, 13:45)

The second race on day three is set to be the Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase. Fennor Cross was the winner in 2022, ahead of competition from Ukantango and pre-race favourite Springwell Bay.

The Shloer Steeplechase (Sunday, 14:20)

The Shloer Chase was raced at this point in 2022, and Nube Negra, ridden by Harry Skelton, was the winner of what was an enthralling race back in November 2022. Ganapathi and Daly Tiger, ridden by Gavin Sheehan and Adam Wedge, came second and third place in the race.

The Jewson Handicap Chase (Sunday, 14:55)

Jockey David Bass won this race on board Does He Know, with Eva’s Oskar and Back On The Lash settling for second and third place finishes, respectively.

The Unibet Greatwood Hurdle Race (Sunday, 15:30)

The Unibet Greatwood Hurdle Race is another standout of the final day of the 2023 November Meeting at Cheltenham. I Like To Move It, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies and trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, won this race in 2022 after crossing the line ahead of Gin Coco in second place and Harbour Lake in third.

The Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Sunday, 16:00)

The final race of day three will be the Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race at Cheltenham. Gentle Slopes won this race in 2022, with Jockey Harry Cobden on board. School Days Over and Cape Vidal were the two horses to fill the other two spots in this race’s top three.

Excitement and anticipation are building ahead of the action finally getting under, with the first of three days of enthralling action taking place on Friday, 17th November 2023.

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