Who was the horse to take from the Paddy Power Gold Cup?
Cheltenham analysis | November Meeting debrief: Horses to follow including Il Ridoto and Calico
By Ben Linfoot
09:39 · MON November 20, 2023
Ben Linfoot was our man at Cheltenham's November Meeting and he's noted down six horses to follow in the immediate future after their runs this weekend.
Dan Skelton’s CALICO was a novice chaser of good ability last season, notably chasing home Jonbon at Warwick before falling behind the same rival when he would’ve been second in Grade 1 company at Aintree in the spring.
A mark of 139 looked like it could be on the lenient side ahead of the Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Friday and it certainly looked so when he was going well three lengths in the lead around the turn for home.
He traded at even-money on Betfair at that point and was still two lengths clear jumping the last, only for Joe Tizzard’s in-form Triple Trade to reel him in up the hill.
He’s in at Ascot next Saturday and there’s a nice two-mile handicap option at Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup meeting, too, and on this evidence he looks capable of making his mark at handicap level as long as the assessor isn’t too harsh on Tuesday.
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PETIT TONNERRE (Jonjo O’Neill) – 2nd, 2.20 Cheltenham, Friday
JPR One was obviously the eyecatcher in the SSS Super Alloys Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial, unseating after the last when he was about to land the money in impressive fashion.
Homme Public picked up the pieces and he did well to fight off the attentions of PETIT TONNERRE after the last, the departure of JPR One perhaps catching Jonjo O’Neill Jr cold as he suddenly realised he had a chance of winning as he manoeuvred his mount around Joe Tizzard’s horse.
Petit Tonnerre was having his first run in eight months and he was given an educational ride, held up in third in space, given time at his fences. He travelled well but dropped to last at one point, before picking up quite nicely once given a squeeze as JPR One turned the screw up front.
All in all, a pleasing chasing debut, evidence that he should rank higher over fences than he did over hurdles, handicaps the likely aim once qualified in the spring.
Impose Toi was a comfortable winner of the Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle on Friday for JP McManus and Nicky Henderson, but the only horse who travelled with anywhere near the same verve in the race was CAITHNESS.
Lucinda Russell’s seven-year-old had returned this season with two wins at Kelso in September and October, but this was his sternest test yet and he acquitted himself very well on the front end, suggesting his latest 8lb rise won’t stop him progressing again.
Beaten two-and-a-half lengths at the line, the handicapper will only nudge him up one or two pounds for this and given he’s unlikely to keep bumping into types like Impose Toi, he can go in again.
Pulled-up in the Scottish Grand National and then again on his seasonal reappearance at the Showcase Meeting, UNDERSUPERVISION is in danger of becoming a very disappointing horse, so his good third place in the Wienerberger Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase was a welcome return to form.
The son of Doyen is one of those Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained chasers that seems to have been around ages, but he is still only seven and he is hugely unexposed at staying trips – his Scottish National appearance his only ever run over a distance in excess of 3m2f.
His stamina helped him to third in Saturday’s 3m1f contest, as he lost his position at the ninth fence but rallied for third in the conditions, every inch suggesting like he can take advantage of his untapped potential over further later in the season.
The Grand National Trial at Haydock, or something along those lines, looks tailor made for him.
He’s going to be rated in the 160s after Saturday’s win and it looks like Grade 1s all the way for him now, but stablemate IL RIDOTO is putting together a very nice collection of Cheltenham form together himself and his third can be viewed in the positive.
Keen early on under 5lb claimer Freddie Gingell, the six-year-old made smooth headway before he was hampered three from home, and he stayed on well up the hill to claim the bronze medal ahead of Fugitif and Unexpected Party.
Arguably better suited to the test of stamina on the New Course, he’s going to have plenty of opportunities to add a second Cheltenham win to his record in the coming months.
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ES PERFECTO (Alan King) - 2nd, 1.45 Cheltenham, Sunday
Disclaimer: I backed this one, but there was plenty to like about ES PERFECTO's chasing debut in the cavani.co.uk Novices' Limited Handicap Chase on the Sunday.
Alan King's horse was well backed ahead of his fencing bow and he jumped really well under Brendan Powell, just bumping into one in Paul Nicholls' Ginny's Destiny - a horse well proven in the soft conditions who had already had a chasing run under his belt.
Beaten 10 lengths, he won't go up for this, but he looks a player off this mark in novice company and there'll be plenty of opportunities coming up.
After jumping so well he can be ridden more aggressively next time, while there's scope for more improvement when he steps up in trip to three miles.
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