Friday's ITV Racing Tips: Ben Linfoot's preview and selections for Cheltenham November Meeting day one

Horse Racing

Thu November 12, 2026 · 1d ago

Our form expert has two selections for Friday's ITV action from day one of Cheltenham's November Meeting.

The Verdict: Friday November 13

1pt win Saint Segal in the 14:20 Cheltenham at 5/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)

1pt win Glengouly in the 14:55 Cheltenhham at 5/1 (General)

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Glen and Ben look a potent combo in Veterans’

Cheltenham’s November Meeting begins on Friday and with the Cross-Country course too quick to race on the Jilly Cooper Veterans’ Handicap Chase over 2m4f takes its place having been rerouted from Wincanton.

It looks a good race with a load of newly-qualified veterans in the mix, including Cheltenham winners like Triple Trade and Ga Law, while Outlaw Peter goes record-hunting for Paul Nicholls on ground he should enjoy.

Conditions are going to be important over the three days and it’s going to be tricky for clerk Jon Pullin with no rain forecast and potential freezing temperatures making it difficult to water on ground that was Good, Good to Soft in places the day before racing starts.

It will be quicker than ideal for many and we might well see plenty of non-runners, but genuine good ground will hold no fears for last year’s December Gold Cup hero, GLENGOULY, who could lead them a merry dance in the veterans’ under Ben Jones.

There doesn’t look an awful lot of pace pressure against him here, with outsider of the field Time To Bite the only other regular front-runner in the field, and that might well allow Glengouly to find the sort of rhythm Sean Bowen got him in 11 months ago.

That day he was out of the handicap and effectively won off a mark of 128, but it was a much better race than this one and Jones applied identical tactics on him at Uttoxeter in May when making all, again off a mark of 128, in a small field by 11 lengths.

He’s an in and out horse, but on his day he looks very good and after two runs this season over unsuitable shorter distances, including one over hurdles, he will be primed for a return to Cheltenham where he looks dangerous in veterans’ company off 133 with Jones back on board for the first time since Uttoxeter.

The return to 2m4f with fitness on his side after those couple of spins is a dangerous combination and while 5/1 is not a remarkable price by any means, I can see him being shorter in-running very quickly and he feels like a bet to me on a day of slim pickings.

The Verdict: Back GLENGOULY in the 14:55 Cheltenham

https://media.betfair.com/redirect.aspx?pid=17888340&lpid=162&bid=1619

Saint to sink Jonbon in the Shloer

Friday’s feature race at Cheltenham is the Grade 2 Shloer Chase, featuring the hot favourite Jonbon for the fourth successive season.

Nicky Henderson’s consistent veteran won his first two Shloers before getting a 15-length hammering by Dan Skelton’s L’Eau du Sud 12 months ago, a result that ultimately saw Jonbon step up in trip later in the season.

Indeed, two miles on good ground looks tricky for Jonbon these days, even when he has a class advantage in a small field like this, and with a 6lb penalty to carry, as well, I’ve got to take him on given he’s chalked up at odds-on prices.

He simply doesn’t look at his best around Cheltenham, either, and while he might not have to be to see off this opposition I think he has plenty to fear from the race-fit SAINT SEGAL under Ciaran Gethings.

This horse loves quicker ground and even has two Good to Firm victories at Chepstow on his dance card, so he won’t mind it if it’s riding quick and he had a lovely pipe-opener at Ffos Las last month when fourth over the extended 2m3f off a big weight in good handicap company.

Still in the lead before two out, he jumped well and looked back to his old self after two pulled up efforts in lofty company in the spring and the drop back to two miles here on the back of that run looks a wise move.

Jane Williams’ horse is tactically versatile, but given he’s the only one in the field with a recent run under his belt I wouldn’t be surprised if he went forward here and he might just be too nippy for this opposition on this ground at this time of the season.