The third and final day of The November Meeting at Cheltenham takes centre-stage this afternoon with an excellent six-race card. Day two of the meeting once again belonged to the bookmakers with no favourite landing any of the seven races at Prestbury Park, which included a 10/1 success for Coole Cody in the feature contest of the meeting, the £130,000 G3 Paddy Power Gold Cup. Today’s action sees the return of dual Cheltenham Festival hero Defi Du Seuil as well as Harambe, who attempts to defend his crown in the feature £80,000 G3 Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (3.00pm).
In the opening race of the day, the mallardjewellers.com Novices’ Chase (1.15pm), The Big Breakaway is a solid 4/6 favourite from 8/11 with Unibet for the extended three-mile event. Fourth in the G1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival™ in March, he bids to make a winning chase debut.
Discorama represents Irish trainer Paul Nolan and is also solid in the betting for the G3 Planteur At Chapel Stud Handicap Chase (1.50pm). The seven-year-old has made the frame at the last three Cheltenham Festivals and returned to action with a good second at Galway last month. He is the 2/1 favourite from 5/2 with Unibet.
The £60,000 G2 Shloer Chase (2.25pm) sees the return of dual Cheltenham Festival hero Defi Du Seuil. A seven-time G1 winner for trainer Philip Hobbs, he was only fourth of five in the G1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at The Festival™ but is Unibet’s 11/8 market leader. Opposition in the betting has come from the Henry De Bromhead-trained Put The Kettle On. She is unbeaten in two starts at Cheltenham, including a stylish success in the G1 Sporting Life Arkle Novices’ Chase at The Festival™. A winner of five of her six starts over fences, she is 7/4 from 2/1 with Unibet.
In the feature race of the day, the £80,000 G3 Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (3.00pm), Tegerek has been strongly supported for Jonjo O’Neill. Set to be partnered by talented 7lb claimer Kevin Brogan, the six-year-old was successful at The Showcase and is the 9/2 favourite from 6/1 with race sponsor Unibet. Irish trainer Emmet Mullins saddles The Shunter, who reverts to hurdles following two runs over fences. Successful in a maiden hurdle at Downpatrick in September, he is 9/1 from 10/1 with Unibet.
The ultra-progressive Third Time Lucki bids to remain unbeaten over hurdles, having backed up a debut success over hurdles at Uttoxeter with a facile victory at Wetherby last time out. Fourth in the G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper at The Festival™, Dan Skelton’s charge is 10/11 from Evens with Unibet and 5/6 from 10/11 with race sponsor Sky Bet for the G2 Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices’ Hurdle (3.35pm).
In the final race of The November Meeting, the Listed High Sheriff Of Gloucestershire Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (4.05pm), Good Risk At All is the one for money for Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey turned trainer Sam Thomas. The Dai Walters-owned four-year-old shaped with plenty of promise on debut at Newton Abbot last month, finishing a close second, and is 6/1 from 8/1 with Unibet.