2023 November Meeting: Review

The latest November Meeting came to an end on Sunday afternoon, and here we review all of the action at Cheltenham Racecourse.

The November Meeting is one of horse racing’s most highly anticipated events on the calendar, and some of the best horses, trainers and jockeys from around the world converged on the historic Cheltenham Racecourse for three days of world class racing.

No less than nineteen races took to the track over the course of the three days. Day One, Friday 17^th November, saw 6 races take place, with day two seeing seven and the third and final day, Sunday 19^th November, saw 6 races being run.

The Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle got the 2023 November Meeting going, before the action came to an enthralling conclusion with the Turners Open National Hunt Flat Race on Sunday afternoon. Some races saw the pre-race favourite live up to the billing and win their race, whilst in others they did not, and someone else emerged victorious instead.

Here we will review each of the three days of racing, starting with the Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle on early Friday afternoon.

Day One: Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Winner – American Sniper)

As previously mentioned, the race that opened proceedings at Cheltenham on Friday 17^th November was the Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at 13:10. American Sniper, ridden by Fergus Gillard took the win in the end, following a race that saw him make his challenge for the lead in the dying embers of the race after making great progress in the earlier stages of the race.

In the end, White Rhino and Paricolor had to settle for second and third place respectively, whilst Pinnacle Peak ended up finishing fourth.

Day One: Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap (Winner – Triple Trade)

The favourite for the first race, Uncle Bert could not win the Handicap Hurdle after a fall at the fourth. However, in the second race of the day which was the Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap, pre-race favourite Triple Trade did not suffer the bad luck that Uncle Bert did. Brendan Powell rode Triple Trade to victory in what was a tense race.

It was not clear who was going to win even in the closing stages, and leader Calico led on the climb to the line, but Brendan Powell on Triple Trade was able to reel Calico in and he went on to win the race by three quarters of a length.

So, Calico had to settle for second place in the end, with Walk In Clover finishing in third.

Day One: SSS Super Alloys Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase (Winner – Homme Public)

We have reached the halfway stage of the opening day of the November Meeting, and it was Homme Public, ridden by Henry Brooke, who won this race on Friday ahead of Petit Tonnerre and Mighty Tom in third. Pre-race favourite JPR One did not finish the race after jockey Brendan Powell was unseated.

In the run down to the last, JPR One held a good advantage and after a mistake from Court Cave, JPR One only had Petit Tonnerre to contend with for the win. In the end, JPR One was able to fend off the competition in comfortable and emphatic style, winning by a margin of no less than two lengths.

Day One: Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (Winner – Foxy Jacks)

The trend of pre-race favourites not tasting victory on the opening day at Cheltenham continued in the fourth race of the day, which was the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase. Favourite Galvin had to settle for an eighth place finish whilst it was Gavin Brouder, on board Foxy Jacks who won the race by a length after fending off a challenge from Latenightpass.

This was jockey Brouder’s first ever success at Cheltenham. Latenightpass went on to finish ahead of Didero Vallis in third place.

Day One: Trustatrader Novices’ Hurdle (Winner – Minella Missile)

In the penultimate race of the 2023 November Meeting’s opening day, pre-race favourite Captain Teague lost out on the win to Minella Missile whose victory was unexpected. He had made his debut under rules just 17 days earlier at Chepstow.

Jockey Adam Wedge guided Minella Missile to a victory by a margin of one and a half lengths in the end with Captain Teague finishing in second. Keith Donoghue and The Big Doyen rounded off the top three by finishing in third place.

Day One: Valda Energy Noivces’ Handicap Hurdle (Winner – Impose Toi)

A pre-race favourite finally emerged victorious in a race on the final race of day one following the conclusion of the Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. Impose Toi was the winner, comfortably fending off his competition to win by a margin of two and a quarter lengths.

David Noonan rode Donnacha to second whilst Derek Fox was able to guide Caithness to a third place finish.

Now that we have gone through the results from day one at the 2023 November Meeting at Cheltenham, we shall now move on to our review of the action that took place in all seven races on Saturday 18^th November. This was the second day of the meeting.

Day Two: JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Winner – Burdett Road)

Milan Tino, who was the favourite for this race finished third, behind An Bradan Feasa and Harry Cobden’s Burdett Road who won the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle, and in some style as well. Burdett Road began the race by making good and patient progress through the field before increasing speed to finish the race an incredible six and a half lengths ahead of An Bradan Feasa in second place.

It was an emphatic and very memorable race win for Harry Cobden and Burdett Road.

Day Two: Wienerberger Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (Winner – Hascoeur Clermont)

In the second race of the second day, it was Hascoeur Clermont who emerged victorious after a competitive and enthralling race. When the field was on their final circuit, Hascoeur Clermont began to control the race from there to win this Handicap Chase by a margin of one length and a quarter in the end.

Chambard and Undersupervision completed the race’s top three after finishing in second and third place.

Day Two: From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast Novices’ Chase (Winner – Broadway Boy)

The race that followed was of course the From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast Novices’ Chase. Broadway Boy ensured that no-one else in the field stood a realistic chance of victory in the end after winning the race by a stunning margin of no less than 20 lengths. It was a tremendous performance from him and jockey Tom Bellamy.

Weveallbeencaught, ridden by Harry Skelton and Good Risk At All, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, finished second and third respectively.

Day Two: Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Winner – Stage Star)

Then came one of the biggest and most prestigious races of the 2023 November Meeting as a whole, the Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase. It was another victory for jockey Harry Cobden who this time was able to guide pre-race favourite Stage Star to victory.

Cobden successfully fended off stern competition from Notlongtillmay and Il Ridoto, who filled the final two spots in the race’s top three.

Day Two: Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle (Winner – Buddy One)

The 2023 Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle was a tight and tense contest, with Buddy One eventually emerging as the winner of this year’s race. He faced close competition from The Newest One, but jockey Jack Gilligan was able to fend off James Turner and The Newest One in the end, winning by one length.

In the end, The Newest One finished second whilst Nico de Boinville’s Chantry House had to settle for a third place finish.

Day Two: Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (Winner – Springwell Bay)

In the sixth and penultimate race of day two, it was pre-race favourite Springwell Bay who won the 2023 Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham Racecourse. In another enthralling race on Saturday, Springwell Bay was able to fend off all competition to finish the race with a length and a quarter lead on second place.

Gyenyame and Tiger Jet filled the final two spots in the top three after finishing second and third respectively.

Day Two: Karndean Designflooring Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race (Winner – Baby Kate)

The Karndean Designflooring Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race was won by unbeaten five-year-old Baby Kate in the seventh and final race of day two. The horse, trained by Willie Mullins, was able to secure an eye-catching win after finishing the race with a winning margin of no less than four and a quarter lengths.

Jeune Belle and Micks Jet finished in second and third place. Pre-race favourite Sharp Object had to settle for ninth place.

Now that we have reviewed the action from the first two days of the 2023 November Meeting, we will now move on to review the action on the third and final day of racing at this meeting.

Day Three: mallardjewellers.com Maiden Hurdle (Winner – Cannock Park)

The third and final day of November Meeting action on Sunday began with the mallardjewellwers.com Maiden Hurdle. The winner of the 2023 edition of this race was Craig Nichol, who rode Cannock Park to a narrow success.

Stern competition was provided by Innatendue, but Nichol fended them off for the win so Innatendue finished second, with pre-race favourite The Kemble Brewery finishing in third place.

Day Three: cavani.co.uk Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Winner – Ginny’s Destiny)

The second race of Sunday, the cavani.co.uk Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase saw the winner fend off competition more comfortably than in the last race. Ginny’s Destiny was the winner, showing good fitness to win the race by what was an emphatic margin of no less than 10 lengths ahead of the race’s runners-up, Es Perfecto.

Railway Hurricane ended up finishing in third place, whilst James Bowen and Wonderwall finished in fourth.

Day Three: Jewson Handicap Chase (Winner – Malina Girl)

The Jewson Handicap Chase marked the halfway point of the third and final day of the 2023 November Meeting. Cloudy Glen was the leader of the field for a significant portion of this race, but in the end the lead was lost when Malina Girl, ridden by Sean Flanagan, timed their challenge to perfection to win by 10 lengths.

Cloudy Glen came second in the end with Guetapan Collonges finishing third and City Chief in fourth.

Day Three: Shloer Chase (Winner – Jonbon)

The fourth race on Sunday was the 2023 Shloer Chase. This race saw the pre-race favourite live up to expectations with Jonbon being guided to the win by jockey Nico de Boinville. It was a win by a margin of nine and a half lengths in what was a superb display from Nico de Boinville and Jonbon.

Edwardstone and Nube Negra rounded off the top three in this race after finishing in second and third place respectively.

Day Three: Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (Winner – Iberico Lord)

The highly anticipated Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle was the penultimate race to take place on the final day of the 2023 November Meeting. It was a second win of the day for Nico de Boinville, who managed to ride Iberico Lord to victory in the end ahead of second place Lookaway and Luccia in third place.

Pre-race favourite Onlyamatteroftime was disqualified after a run out (RO).

Day Three: Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (Winner – Iberico Lord)

We will now move on to the Turners Open National Hunt Flat Race, which was the final race not only of the third day, but also of the 2023 November Meeting as a whole. This time it was the pre-race favourite who won the race with Brechin Castle fending off competition from the likes of Fire Flyer and Moon Chime finishing in second and third place respectively.

Excitement will already be building ahead of the next November Meeting at the iconic Cheltenham Racecourse in 2024.

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