Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Friday, 13 November - Cheltenham & Southwell
It's a busy day of racing action in the UK and Ireland, and Charlie McCann is here with his exclusive free horse racing tips - only at FreeBets.
Charlie McCann's Tips - Friday, 13 November
1:10pm Cheltenham - Glancing Jack (Nap)
High Fibre did us a big favour when getting up in the shadows of the post in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen in July and has subsequently run a couple of excellent races in defeat on the flat.
Fourth in the Cesarewitch off a mark of eighty-four, the James Owen-trained seven-year-old looks fairly treated reverting to timber despite an 8lbs rise for his Plate success. The Market Rasen success was gained over the minimum trip, and this additional 5f should suit, and Toby McCain-Mitchell takes over in the saddle.
At the time of writing, there is no jockey booked for Irish raider Chutzpal, but he ran a terrific race stepped up to 2m4f when second on his latest start. Connections love having Cheltenham winners, and that second at Listowel was his first start over jumps since finishing in midfield over 2m at this corresponding meeting two years ago from a 2lbs lower mark.
He looks overpriced but, despite having my fingers burnt with Kadastral last weekend, I must recommend an interest in GLANCING JACK (Nap) who has been in my tracker since finishing runner-up at Hereford over the minimum trip for Tom Symonds back in January.
Leading owner Jimmy Fyffe recently bought the five-year-old privately, and it is reported that he has not been with Dan Skelton long. The selection scored back at Hereford the following month, beating a dual subsequent winner by four-and-a-half lengths, giving him 3lbs stepped up in distance. The runner-up – Tommy Pickles – is now rated 122, the same mark as the selection who finished second at Newbury on his final start for Symonds.
The third and fourth at the Berkshire track are both subsequent winners, while the winner – Storming George, who gave the selection 5lbs – went on to land the Grade 1 2m Novice at Aintree and is now rated 144. If you believe that Skelton is likely to improve Glancing Jack, then he must be fairly treated with the stable’s conditional Harry Atkins able to claim a valuable 3lbs.
I thought there was every chance that Glancing Jack could make up into a leading Coral Cup contender this season – remember Supremely West in the same colours in the Pertemps last term - and that was before he switched yards. The 5/1 with William Hill earlier in the week has long gone, but I thought the 3/1 quote in the Racing Post was about right.
Having checked the odds comparison sites, I am staggered to see he is a top price of 13/8 at the time of writing. He must drift – as Kadastral did at Aintree – and anything around 5/2 (we are not going to get 3/1 let alone 5s) would be fair.
He is by far the most likely winner, although he has no course form and there is a slight concern about him getting up the hill. If he is to win the Coral Cup, however, he must go close off a mark of 122.
Recommendation: Glancing Jack (Nap) - 13/8 with bet365
This is Charlie's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Alan Kelly's pick too.
1:45pm Cheltenham - King’s Bucks
The impressive winner of the Novice Chase here last month was Henry de Bromhead’s Butch Cassidy, and the Irish handler saddles KING’S BUCKS, and he is preferred on this good ground over the market leader. Note the Irish have not trained the winner of the race in the last decade.
The selection finished third, staying on very well in the Grade 2 2m5f Novice Hurdle behind No Drama This End at this meeting twelve months ago. His season dropped off in the second half of the campaign, but he ran well over an inadequate trip when second at Galway on chase debut when his jumping was particularly good.
He, too, would have preferred a bit more give in the ground, but he gets the vote in what promises to be a most informative contest, with Follow Your Luck not as forlorn a hope on this ground as the betting would suggest.
Recommendation: King’s Bucks - 9/4 with bet365
2:20pm Cheltenham - Gidleigh Park
Jonbon’s two Cheltenham victories – from eight starts – have been in this corresponding race, although he was beaten in his hat-trick bid last year. He looked as good as ever last term, although the suggestion is he needs further than the minimum trip these days; this renewal will be run to suit, given it is likely to be run at a frantic pace with all four runners in the Shloer Chase prominent racers/confirmed front runners.
Harry Cobden takes over in the saddle on Jonbon for the first time on the 10-year-old, who must give 6lbs to his three rivals. He goes well fresh; Nicky Henderson has his runners in good form, but preference is for GIDLEIGH PARK.
When he is good, Gidleigh Park is very good, but he does throw in the odd shocker, and this ground is, arguably, a shade quicker than his optimum. He ran no sort of race in the Clarence House Chase at the beginning of the year behind Jonbon at Ascot, but he goes well fresh, needs to go left-handed, and the hope is that Bryan Carver does not get bullied down at the start by Cobden and Sean Bowen.
I don’t want to see the selection four wide going into the first fence, but if he gets into a nice rhythm over the first couple and is well placed with a circuit to go, then I would be confident of a big run.
Recommendation: Gidleigh Park - 3/1 with bet365
Backing Charlie’s selections today? Plenty of welcome offers are waiting at freebets.com to help you get the best prices.
2:55pm Cheltenham - Ga Law
Anything that leads Mahons Glory and Time To Bite over the first couple of fences is going too quickly in the 2m4f+ Veterans Handicap Chase, and there is the prospect of a real end-to-end gallop which will suit the last time out winners Thunder Rock - who stays further – and Triple Trade, but the vote goes to GA LAW, who finished runner-up in the Paddy Power two years ago from a 10lbs higher mark.
He has been lightly raced in recent seasons, but the handicapper has given him a chance, and he jumped left and looked in need of the run behind Triple Trade at Market Rasen on his first start in over 300 days last month.
He is just 6lbs better off with the winner this afternoon, but he ran better than his finishing position would suggest and looks sure to be a different proposition with the run under his belt.
Recommendation: Ga Law - 15/2 with bet365
3:15pm Southwell - Northwest Passage
Character Testing made all to win at Sedgefield last week and carries a 7lbs penalty for that fluent success. He is rated fifty-five on the level, and if this were a flat race he would be receiving 24lbs from NORTHWEST PASSAGE, but he must give the selection 3lbs – 8lbs if you include the 5lbs claim of William Shanahan.
The selection was never put into the race when third beaten over 30l at Stratford in September, a run which gave him what looks an attractive opening mark. When you consider he raced prominently when third to subsequent November Handicap winner Albert Wincham at York over 1m6f last month, it was strange to see him held up last at Stratford and the hope – and expectation – is that he races more prominently this afternoon.
It was reported that the grey was too keen last time, but I disagree, and this 79-rated flat horse looks fairly handicapped off 96 over timber, especially if there is a change of tactics.
If there is an application of cash, he would merit nap material.
Recommendation: Northwest Passage - 7/2 with bet365
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
For more daily previews across every sport, check out our full betting tips hub, and head to our guide on the best betting sites for the latest sign-up offers to back today's selections.
More Horse Racing Tips
Check out more from the Freebets horse racing hub, including tips, stats, market movers and today’s racecards!
