Cheltenham tips: Preview & best value bets for November Meeting on Sunday November 17
By Matt Brocklebank
Horse Racing
Sat November 16, 2024 · 4h ago
It's the third and final day of the November Meeting at Cheltenham and Matt Brocklebank has a couple of Sunday wagers to consider.
- Matt Brocklebank's Value Bet is designed to generate long-term profit by searching for overpriced horses in the feature weekend races and at the big Festivals in the UK and Ireland.
- Value Bet previews are initially available to logged-in readers through Sporting Life Plus, featuring the Sky Bet Price Guarantees, before the full column is made available to all 15 minutes later.
- Following all Matt's selections to recommended odds/stakes since the start of 2024 would have produced over 110pts in profit.
Value Bet tips: Sunday November 17
1pt win Rose Of Arcadia in 2.55 Cheltenham at 12/1 (bet365, Paddy Power, 11/1 General)
1pt win Cracking Rhapsody in 3.30 Cheltenham at 22/1 (General)
Two good punting races on the Sunday card at Cheltenham, starting with the Holland Cooper Handicap Chase over an extended three miles and three furlongs.
A handful of these also hold an entry for next month’s Becher Chase at Aintree and could be using the race as a bit of a stepping-stone, but that’s not the case with ROSE OF ARCADIA and I reckon she might have a bit more to offer over marathon trips this season.
She was sent back point-to-pointing after initially disappointing the Tizzards and former owners Cheveley Park Stud in her first stint over fences, but soon found her stride again and it just looked a case of the giant mare needing a bit more time to really fill her frame.
The step up to three miles and beyond clearly helped her progress too and she was really game in victory when seeing off the reopposing Ballygriffincottage at Sandown back in March.
Below par at Plumpton on her final outing last term, Rose Of Arcadia underwent wind surgery during the summer and resumed with an encouraging effort in third at Exeter last month, beaten less than five lengths having raced prominently throughout.
Eased a pound in the weights, she’s now only 2lb higher than for the Sandown win and is 3lb better off with Exeter runner-up Abuffalosoldier, who is among those reportedly on target for the Becher.
She’s twice the price of Warren Greatrex’s horse here and looks the one to be on.
In the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle it's hard to fault the unbeaten record of Dysart Enos and I’m not taking her on lightly given she beat Golden Ace in an Aintree bumper the season before last, but is her hurdling form up to much? I have some doubts.
She was found a couple of very soft races en route to the Festival in March but then missed the big day after being found to be lame so now returns to action having not raced competitively since the end of January.
Burdett Road is a horse I’ve fancied in big races on the Flat a few times this year and his claims are there for all to see back in the jumping game, but CRACKING RHAPSODY appears to represent better value.
He’s another second-season hurdler and enjoyed a good time of things as a novice, winning at Hexham 12 months ago before adding to his tally with back-to-back victories at Kelso.
The second success at his local track came in the valuable Morebattle Hurdle so we know he can cut it in the hustle and bustle of a big-field handicap, which obviously bodes well on Sunday.
His one-length third in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr in April underlined the fact Cracking Rhapsody was still on an upward curve deep into the spring, and I loved his eyecatching comeback run when fourth back at Hexham last month.
That should have blown away the summer cobwebs and while most of his success has been achieved on genuinely testing conditions, it’s basically looked no-excuse ground at Cheltenham all weekend so I won’t let it put me off having a bet.
Published at 1600 GMT on 16/11/24
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.