John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Sunday.
Three points of interest
Charlie Longsdon can enhance Fontwell record in Southern National
Charlie Longsdon has a good record at Fontwell over the last five seasons with his 8 winners at the track coming from 35 runners which equates to a 23% strike rate. The Chipping Norton trainer went close to landing one of Fontwell’s biggest prizes, the Southern National, in 2021 when Almazhar Garde finished runner-up and Longsdon has prospects of going one better in this year’s renewal (14:05) with the mare Glimpse of Gala.
Glimpse of Gala is no stranger to Fontwell as she gained the first of her four wins over hurdles at the track in the autumn of 2021 before making up into a fairly useful staying hurdler. While she lacks experience over fences, she looks well treated on her hurdles form and promises to be very well suited by this marathon trip of nearly three and a half miles. Glimpse of Gala’s only two runs over fences so far have come in a mares’ novice chase at Worcester over an inadequate two and a half miles which she has contested for the last two years.
In the latest renewal of that contest last month, Glimpse of Gala rallied well after getting outpaced to finish seven lengths second to a progressive rival in El Elefante. Looking sure to appreciate this much stiffer test, Glimpse of Gala can prove herself well treated, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 2lb.
Gordon Elliott mob-handed again in bid to win yet another Troytown
Gordon Elliott has a formidable recent record in Navan’s Troytown Handicap Chase (14:30), winning it for the first time in 2014 and successful another five times since, including last year when 20/1 shot Coko Beach was successful. Elliott also saddled the third, fourth and fifth in last year’s renewal from a total of 14 runners.
Elliott’s team isn’t quite that huge this year but 11 runners still leaves him with more than half the total field of 20. The pick of those could well be handicap debutant American Mike who is near the top of the weights but still could have got in lightly judged on his smart novice form from last season. Both of his wins last term came at this track, a beginners chase at the corresponding meeting a year ago and the Ten Up Novice Chase later in the season. His jockey on both those occasions, Jack Kennedy, sticks with him here and American Mike heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb.
Two more of Elliott’s higher-weighted runners also need factoring in. Favori de Champdou beat a strong field in the Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown last autumn, while Chemical Energy, who is blinkered for the first time, can’t be ruled out after his third in the Munster National last time. Of those in the line-up not trained by Elliott, Ian Donoghue’s novice Lisnamult Lad, successful at Cheltenham last month, could prove the biggest danger going back up in trip.
Unbeaten Dysart Enos makes handicap debut in Greatwood
Eight months ago Dysart Enos was denied a shot at her biggest prize to date when having to be taken out of the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on the morning of the race after sustaining an overreach. But Fergal O’Brien’s unbeaten mare belatedly gets a crack at a big race at her local track as she makes her handicap debut in the Greatwood Hurdle (15:30), the highlight on the final day of Cheltenham’s November meeting.
Dysart Enos won all three of her bumpers in 2022/23, notably the Nickel Coin Mares’ Bumper at Aintree in which she beat Golden Ace who went on to win the Dawn Run in Dysart Enos’s absence. She then won all three of her novice hurdles last season, with her best effort coming with a ready success at Cheltenham last December. Missing her Festival engagement could well prove a blessing in disguise, though, as it means Dysart Enos makes her handicap debut here off what could prove a lenient mark of 131. There’s more to come from her and she can keep her unbeaten record under new jockey Jonathan Burke following the retirement of her former rider Paddy Brennan.
Just above Dysart Enos in the weights is her probable main danger Burdett Road. He’s another who could have been let in lightly for his first handicap after just the three runs in juvenile hurdles last term. He won the first two of those, including a Grade 2 contest at this meeting, before coming up against top juvenile Sir Gino on Trials Day. Like Dysart Enos, Burdett Road had to miss the Festival but he’s been better than ever for James Owen back on the Flat in recent months, including when making all for a wide-margin win in a listed race at Newmarket.
Tip of the Day
Primoz – 13:45 Cheltenham
Flags: Top Rated (+ Large P)
Both Nicky Henderson and Ben Pauling have interesting chasing debutants in this novice handicap with Peaky Boy and Leader In The Park respectively, but Lucinda Russell’s Primoz marked himself out as one to very much keep on side when successful on his own chasing debut. From just a handful of starts over hurdles, Primoz bookended last season with a couple of wins at Ayr and made a perfect start to his chasing career in a handicap at Wetherby last month. After jumping well, Primoz asserted on the run-in for a two-length win over subsequent winner Pay The Piper but won with far more authority than the bare margin suggests. That earned Primoz the ‘large P’ symbol denoting that he’s open to considerable improvement stepping up in trip here, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 2 lb.
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