Charlie McCann's Horse Racing Tips Saturday, 14 November - Cheltenham & Windsor
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 - Saturday, 14 November
12:35pm Cheltenham - Jaccours (Each-Way)
Transmission won the opening 3m1f amateur jockey handicap chase under Patrick Mullins two years ago from just a 2lbs lower mark. He has only won once in the interim period, but Mullins, who was riding a short-priced favourite at Southwell for his father yesterday, is not in the plate today.
The nine-year-old is a better horse going right-handed, but the Neil Mulholland yard are in excellent form, and his regular cheekpieces replace the blinkers he didn’t take too kindly to at Ascot when jumping poorly. He is one for the shortlist. Transmission was market leader two years ago, but the race has thrown up a few shocks in the last decade, with a 22/1 winner twelve months ago.
Top Guy is a winning pointer who looked overpriced at 25/1 for Dan Skelton stepped up to 3m1f for the first time over fences. He will relish the ground, and Heidi Palin is a much-respected member of Team Skelton. He may get too far back, however, and is reluctantly overlooked in favour of JACCOURS (Each-Way), who will be ridden by Irish amateur Billy Coonan, whose last three rides have finished 1-1-1, including a chase victory at Fairyhouse – one of two winners on the day – at Fairyhouse earlier in the week.
The selection never raced on good ground for Olly Murphy, with his maiden hurdle success coming on heavy ground. He ran a tremendous race behind subsequent winner Gingerbred – now rated 15lbs higher in the weights – at Ffos Las over 3m4f on soft ground on his first start for Robbie Llewellyn.
He looked to be travelling every bit as well as the favourite going to two out, but was over 3l behind at the line, giving the winner 22lbs. The third – Yes Day – dotted up at Warwick on Wednesday. There must be doubts regarding the suitability of the ground, but I thought 17/2 was a fair price.
Recommendation: Jaccours (Each-Way) - 17/2 with Paddy Power (4 places)
The Grade 2 Arkle Trial Chase is worth the admission fee alone. When Nicky Henderson entered his Supreme winner Old Park Star at Ffos Las on Wednesday, I thought he would avoid a clash with Kabral du Mathan, but it’s game on. I would favour the latter with valuable chase experience under his belt, but Old Park Star was unbeaten over hurdles, and his schooling is reported to have been exemplary.
2:20pm Cheltenham - Meetmebythesea
The Paddy Power Gold Cup is one of the great handicap chases on the jumps calendar, and it has not been a particularly successful race for me, although I have convinced myself I backed Happy Diva back in 2019.
Tom O’Brien rode the winner of the corresponding race in 2020, and the wretched news of his passing earlier in the week came as a great shock, although I did hear one of the winning jockey’s last weekend suggest he was seriously ill and that all in the weighing room were thinking of him. So sad.
Norn Iron and Torneo remain on the right side of the handicap, but I worry about their ability to get up the hill and, despite the fact that only one favourite has won in the last decade (Stage Star 2023), the vote goes to market leader MEETMEBYTHESEA.
The selection was brought along skilfully by connections last term, getting handicapped over an inadequate 2m before running away with the Jack Richards at the Festival on the New course. The handicapper took offence to that near 5l success by raising the selection 12lbs, but there is the possibility that he is a genuine Ryanair contender. If that is the case, he must run a big race even from the lofty mark of 151. He is 3/1 on Friday morning, but I would suggest we will get at least another half point at some stage on Friday evening/Saturday.
Recommendation: Meetmebythesea - 3/1 with Coral
3:30pm Cheltenham - Hillberry Hill (w/o Moneygarrow)
Moneygarrow was left on the same mark (133) after the 3m Albert Bartlett Hurdle in March, despite travelling as well as anything, and he was last off the bridle in that Grade 1 contest. The drop back in distance to 2m5f is considered a plus, and he could turn this into a procession.
I was considering recommending HILLBERRY HILL each-way and the 7/1 does look more than fair, but the 5/1 on offer without the Dan Skelton-trained market leader more than caught my attention, and that is the recommendation.
Hillberry Hill won a Maiden Hurdle at Thurles for Mags Mullins before joining his present connections for £70,000 back in January. He had just the one start for Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls when he landed the odds, giving the 109-rated hurdler The Flier Begley 12lbs and a six-and-a-half length beating eased down at Southwell – over their mini-fences - having made all.
He will be switching to fences sooner rather than later, one would imagine, but he looks fairly treated from an opening mark of 122, will relish the ground and is open to further improvement after just three career starts.
The stable usually wastes little time getting their horses over fences, and this inmate was bought for the larger obstacles, but they must feel they are well handicapped over timber and the selection receives weight from the other principles.
Sunny South West carried my cash here at the Showcase meeting last month but looked a non-stayer over a slightly shorter trip. They may change tactics today, and he is, undeniably, well handicapped while this slightly better ground will suit. Of the ones in double figures, he makes the most appeal.
Recommendation: Hillberry Hill (w/o Moneygarrow) - 5/1 with William Hill
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12:55pm Windsor - Le Tiep's Sacre
Emma Lavelle has her string in very good form, and I like the booking of Adam Wedge for the chasing debutant Piping Rock, who finished in the frame in all five hurdle starts, but always gave the impression he would improve when sent chasing.
He has dropped 2lbs since finishing third at Chepstow in a decent Novice when last seen back in the spring, and he looks sure to be winning over the larger obstacles. Including his point-to-point, the five-year-old has finished third in five of his six career starts - one second - and he may have to settle for silver or bronze again today.
LE TIEP'S SACRE only raced once last term, finishing fifth in a competitive Kempton handicap from today's mark. A wonderful stamp of a horse he is every inch a chaser, and the hope is that he is fit enough to do himself justice. Caoilin Quinn has developed into a top-class jockey of late and, irrespective of today's result, the Moores' five-year-old is one to have onside if he can be kept out of the treatment room.
King Jon Oliver failed to go on from his Fakenham win on seasonal debut, and he is bred to make a chaser. The handicapper has eased him 4lbs since his last start, and first time out may be the time to catch him for Olly Murphy, but Le Tiep's Sacre is an exciting chase recruit and can make up for lost time.
Recommendation: Le Tiep's Sacre - 5/2 with bet365
2:35pm Windsor - King Califet (Nap)
I hope Emma Lavelle will be out of luck with Piping Rock, but she has excellent chances on the card with Kildinan Prince (1:25pm) and KING CALIFET (Nap), and it is the latter who I am particularly keen on despite not having the best record first time out.
The seven-year-old has always struck me as potentially a 130+ chaser and beat a dual subsequent winner (Sheldon) at Newbury in March from a 5lbs lower mark over today’s 2m6f+ trip. Good or good to soft ground clearly suits, and the hope is that connections are not using the race as a “net” for a crack at a bigger prize back at the Berkshire track in a fortnight’s time.
Joe Cotton has had wind surgery since disappointing on heavy ground back on Valentine's Day, but he has a good record fresh and is considered a danger especially if the market speaks in his favour.
Doctor Midas is another who has had wind surgery since his last start, and this former Nicky Henderson inmate ran well for a long way on chase debut at Wincanton behind the Lavelle-trained The Long Point. Henrietta Knight has her string well forward, and Doctor Midas is considered the chief threat to King Califet.
Recommendation: King Califet (Nap) - 7/4 with bet365
This is Charlie's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Alan Kelly's pick too.
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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