Paddy Power Sign-Up Offer – Cheltenham November Friday

Friday sees three days of high quality jumps racing get underway at Cheltenham, with the Grade 2 Shloer Chase headlining day one’s six-race card. If you’re getting involved with the action this weekend: read on for a few of Friday’s betting highlights in our preview, compiled using data and insight from racing’s premier analysts, Timeform. Plus, find the latest sign-up offer from the meeting’s headline sponsor, Paddy Power.

A Shock In The Feature?

Nicky Henderson’s veteran chaser Jonbon is undoubtedly the class act on day one, and he’s currently odds-on to take the feature Shloer Chase (2:20) for a third time. But is he really as solid a prospect as the odds suggest?

A closer look at the ten-year-old’s record shows that his two previous ‘Shloers’ have provided his only two Cheltenham victories from eight attempts, and he was beaten 15 lengths in last year’s race, albeit on heavy ground. In fact, while he’s still only 4lb clear of the pack on current Timeform ratings (factoring in the extra 6lb he must carry), it’s been three years since he produced form at Cheltenham that looks safely above the level that two of his three younger rivals are known to be capable of.

The first of those is lightly-raced eight-year-old, Gidleigh Park, interesting stepping back in trip, his jumping and stamina respectively having come up short on his last two outings. Given that one’s frailties, the normally reliable Saint Segal is perhaps more intriguing still. He could be flying under the radar after being pulled up twice at the end of last season, first after an uncharacteristic jumping lapse in the Champion Chase, and then when faced with a frenetic gallop when stepping up in trip at Aintree. He’s likely to strip fitter for a low-profile but encouraging return last month. The remaining runner, Mighty Bandit has much more to find, but certainly has age on his side at just six.

Paddy Has Power To Prevail

At the time of writing, the bookies have the Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Novices’ Chase (1:45) down as somewhat of a match between Derryhassen Paddy and King’s Bucks. While the latter’s odds will be largely informed both by his relative consistency and by Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O’Keeffe’s formidable partnership in this type of contest – more on that in tomorrow’s preview – Derryhassen Paddy’s third in the 2025 Albert Bartlett was a stone better on paper than anything King’s Bucks achieved over hurdles, and in a true staying contest. That definitely wasn’t what Scottish-trained Derryhassen Paddy encountered on his last trip here: a race which broke into a sprint he had little chance of winning from the rear of the pack, not least after slipping on the home turn. With that quite satisfactory return in the bag, he could be hard to beat, granted a truer test.

Timeform Team Expect Eben Better Things

Very well handicapped on his Flat form, two-time Cesarewitch winner Alphonse Le Grande was an eye-catching double-entry in the first and last races earlier in the week, for Irish trainer Tony Martin. But with connections choosing not to take up either engagement today, Martin’s Eben Zaabeel makes for an intriguing prospect in the 16:00, for a yard who’ve managed three wins and four further places from 11 runs in hurdles handicaps at Cheltenham, in the past five seasons. They took this race in 2013 and have often targeted it since, very nearly repeating the feat in 2022.

8lb off top-rated Way of Stars, Eben Zaabeel is the only runner in the field whose rating carries the Timeform ‘p’ – indicating their handicappers’ opinion he is likely capable of significant improvement under the right circumstances. As the race report reads for his previous hurdles run, “everything about his run style points to handicaps drawing more out of him”, and the predicted ‘very strong’ pace should only increase the likelihood of a successful handicap debut.

Sign of Intent From Welsh Raiders?

Finally – or rather firstly, as it’s the opener at 1:15 – a left-field angle for those looking for one at a huge price this Friday.

Razzle Dazzle Boy’s mere presence can arguably be seen as a positive, given he held entries in no fewer than four races for his Wales-based yard before Saturday’s declarations were confirmed. He shaped encouragingly on the only previous occasion he’s been tried at this trip, which he’s bred to stay over, and trainer Tim Vaughan, newly partnered with Mitchell Hunt, has had his string in good order at this time of year for the past four seasons. Their charge has a few pounds to find on the principals, reflected by quotes of up to 40/1 at the time of writing, but the further presence of topweight Kalium (their only other Cheltenham entry), who gives his stablemate 10lb, certainly provides the team with a good yardstick for Razzle Dazzle Boy’s potential.

So there you have it: rather neatly, an English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh pick for four of today’s best betting heats.

How To Use The Paddy Power Sign-Up Offer

Paddy Power are offering a bet £5, get £30 in free bets deal, open to new customers only (18+, T&Cs apply). The terms show that your qualifying £5 bet must be settled before you’re given your £30 in free bets, which gives you a few options: you could go through Friday’s card with your six free bets, wait to focus on Saturday or Sunday, or spread them out over the three days. Don’t forget: you can only use the offer once, so it’s always a good idea to decide on your staking in advance.

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