Replay our blog for the final day of Cheltenham November Meeting

Useful Tools

Full racecards and free video form
Fast results service
All times GMT

1615: The final race is normally run in the gloom but it remains brighter than usual and that has been a theme of the weekend.

MASTER DEBONAIR wins the final race of the November Meeting for Colin Tizzard, who ends the three-day spectacular with a bang by landing the last two races.

He's 20/1 from 33s for the Champion Bumper as the monster of March looms large, as it will over the December meeting and Trials Day here in January.

We're all on the road to Cheltenham now.

Thanks for joining us over the last three days, we'll be back blogging from a racecourse near you soon.

RESULT – 4.00, The High Sheriff Of Gloucestershire And Racing Remember Standard Open NH Flat Race

1st Master Debonair (3/1)
2nd Thyme Hill (8/1)
3rd Kissesforkaite (33/1)

1553: The sponsors go 25/1 about Elixir De Nutz following up in the Sky Bet Supreme at the Festival...

1542: Colin Tizzard lands the Sky Bet Supreme Trial for the second year running, this time with ELIXIR DE NUTZ for owner Terry Warner.

He dominated from the front which wasn't a bad idea with some of the hurdles omitted and nothing could get to him, Olly Murphy's Itchy Feet getting closest up the hill.

Murphy will be pleased with that - not only Itchy Feet's good effort under a penalty - but also the winner chased home his Thomas Darby here last month and that's a nice little form boost.

RESULT – 3.30, The Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle

1st Elixir De Nutz (5/1)
2nd Itchy Feet (5/1)

1522: Seddon is odds-on now and he does look the most likely winner here. Midfield in the Champion Bumper along with Didtheyleaveuoutto and stablemate The Big Bite, all three of those mid-div Festival finishers have won novice hurdles and I was particularly taken with Seddon's Stratford win.

It looks the best form on offer here. Itchy Feet, I'm not sure, his Kempton win came after he made all after they walked early doors and I'm not sure you can trust that. He has a 5lb penalty, too, although Olly Murphy did have several contenders for this race and relies on him.

Murphy's Thomas Darby beat Elixir De Nutz at Cheltenham in October and Colin Tizzard's horse has a chance if he improves on that, but he'll have to, as will Colonel Custard, and Two For Gold makes his hurdling debut.

So, an interesting little contest as the Road to the Sky Bet Supreme kicks off. With a few hurdles omitted I'm not sure entirely what we'll learn, but if there is a good one among these the Cheltenham experience could be vital.

1515: I tipped and backed Nietzsche for the Greatwood last season, so excuse while I go find a stiff drink. Ahh, I can't. It's the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle next. I'm nothing if not professional. We better watch this one.

1512: This Danny McMenamin makes a real statement at Cheltenham by riding NIETZSCHE to victory in the Greatwood.

The 7lb claimer has been among the winners in the last few weeks and that booking by Brian Ellison looks to have made all the difference today as he sees off Silver Streak by a neck.

With three hurdles omitted they only jumped five and that suited this good Flat horse, too, his recent second on the level a hint that he was returning to form after disappointing in some big handicaps last season.

RESULT – 3.00, The Unibet Greatwood Hurdle

1st Nietzsche (20/1)
2nd Silver Streak (12/1)
3rd Old Guard (16/1)
4th Verdana Blue (9/2f)

1454: Greatwood Hurdle next. Always a great race. Rooster Booster. Sizing Europe. Great winners. And examples that this race has had a bearing on the Champion Hurdle in the past. Will it today? It might if Verdana Blue wins.

She heads the market at 9/2, I'm cheering on Value Bet selections Charli Parcs and Deyrann De Carjac, while Dave's all over Western Ryder as he bids for back-to-back Daily Nap winners.

1440: Sky Bet go 14s from 25s about Sceau Royal for the Champion Chase after his Shloer Chase victory.

1437: Well Sceau Royal does justify that market confidence with a gritty success over regular Shloer fixture Simply Ned who has run in this race for the last decade* at least.

Nicky Richards' horse really put it up to Sceau Royal and it was a case of job done for the favourite in the end but that will please connections after 10 months off the track.

You would think that'll set him up nicely for the Tingle Creek in three weeks' time, as he looked to love Sandown when he romped home in a stellar edition of the Henry VIII Novices' Chase there last season.

*Five years, seems like 10.

RESULT – 2.25, The Shloer Chase

1st Sceau Royal (5/4f)
2nd Simply Ned (28/1)

1423: No Samcro in the end at Punchestown, so it’s left to Sharjah to win the Morgiana in the Ricci green cap from ownermate Faugheen. A bit of a damp squib, to be honest, after all the hype.

Anyway, we move on here at Cheltenham with the Shloer Chase coming up and Sceau Royal is your 5/4 favourite. That’s very short, isn’t it?

I like him, but this looks tougher than the market implies after a lay-off. I guess the problem is, what do you take him on with? It’s a toughie.

Perhaps Brain Power is the one after his wind and back surgery. I could do with both of those operations but I don’t think they’d help me jump better either.

IF they work the oracle, and IF he jumps well, he could be the one. A couple of big IFS there, though.

1408: A very classy performance from LALOR on chasing debut as he sees off a good field with a very accomplished round of jumping under Richard Johnson.

The same couldn’t be said for Claimantakinforgan who made a few errors and it was left to Dynamite Dollars to give the winner most to do approaching the last.

However, another good leap at the final obstacle sealed matters for Lalor and he bounded up the hill to win by seven lengths, earning an 8/1 Arkle quote from Sky Bet in the process.

RESULT – 1.50, The Racing Post Arkle Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase

1st Lalor (11/2)
2nd Dynamite Dollars (3/1)

1335: Arkle Trophy Trial next and this is a cracking novices’ chase where we should get some clear Festival clues. Claimantakinforgan is your favourite and I’m off to look at these in the paddock.

1328: Well backed last night, it’s Jonjo O’Neill’s Palmers Hill that rallies up the hill to win the races, getting the better of Unblinking, the bottom weight trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies.

Follow The Bear led them for a long way but fell at the second last where the complexion of the race changed.

A huge roar developed as Palmers Hill circled the field under Jonjo junior, but it looked like Unblinkered might get the better of him after the last.

However, JP McManus’ horse responded well to pressure to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths at the line.

RESULT – 1.15, The Steve And Sue Ibberson Happy Retirement Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle

1st Palmers Hill (7/1)
2nd Unblinking (16/1)
3rd Offshore Oscar (12/1)
4th Valadom (33/1)

1315: A few technical problems so please bear with us for updates for the moment… but the good news is they’re off for the first!

1250: Twenty minutes to the first and I can't put off looking at the conditionals race any longer. It looks a nightmare to solve but I did like the form of that Aintree conditionals race at the time and, though it's taken a few knocks since, maybe Sliding Doors can boost it today for the always-excellent Ian Williams.

This trip and track could be ideal considering he was third over three miles in Liverpool that day and he stays on the same mark. At around 15/2 he hasn't been missed by the market by any means, but I must admit I'm warming to his chance more than either the well-punted The Dellercheckout and Jonjo's back-from-a-break Palmers Hill.

1225: The PA's Nick Robson updates us on the condition of Tom Scudamore following his crashing fall from King's Socks in yesterday's BetVictor Gold Cup...

Tom Scudamore is taking a couple of days off after his fall from King's Socks in Saturday's BetVictor Gold Cup.

David Pipe's charge was still in contention coming down to the third last when he made a bad blunder and unfortunately unshipped Scudamore into the path of oncoming horses.

Scudamore was due to ride at Cheltenham on Sunday but stood himself down, and the plum ride on Colin Tizzard's Pingshou in the Arkle Trial went to Aidan Coleman.

"I'm fine essentially, just a bit battered and bruised," said Scudamore.

"I'm just going to take a couple of days off - but it's nothing serious, thankfully.

"Unfortunately I won't be able to ride today, but I'll be back soon."

1215: An hour until we're off here at Cheltenham but they're already under way at Punchestown. I wonder if Samcro will run in the Morgiana? Gordon Elliott is going to make a decision after the first hurdle race at 12.35 and he is said to be 'worried about the ground'. Hmmm. I predict a late withdrawal.

1200: MARKET MOVER ALERT.

News from the Sky Bet trading room now and the one horse they are fearful of winning today is THE DELLERCHECKOUT who is 4/1 from 9/1 in the opening Steve and Sue Ibberson Happy Retirement Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.

The four-year-old failed to win in four outings in maiden and novice hurdles last season but he shaped well on occasions, was a winning pointer, has had wind surgery and Lorcan Williams, claiming 6lb, is on board today.

Sky Bet are paying SIX PLACES on each-way bets in the race, so click on the link for all the latest odds.

1150: I nearly tipped Lalor for the Racing Post Arkle Trophy Trial today. That Aintree form looks glorious (I recall it now after that 10.32 update); Vision Des Flos was second, Samcro's conqueror Bedrock was third, Coolanly who won here Friday was fifth, Global Citizen was sixth and Midnight Shadow, who subsequently beat today's favourite Claimantakinforgan, was seventh.

For me, that Grade One win is the best form on offer in today's race and he's 15/2. So what put me off on his chasing debut? Well, today's race is very hot. He could run really well with a long season ahead in mind and finish fourth. So that was it really.

Anyway, enough of my waffle. Listen to his trainer Kayley Woollacott in this video...

1140: VIDEO: More video now as myself and Sky Bet's Michael Shinners talk Greatwood Handicap Hurdle - Sky Bet are paying SIX places on each-way bets in the big handicap...

1125: Great to see the below tweet from Charlie Longsdon this morning. Willie Boy took a crashing fall at the fourth last in the BetVictor yesterday, causing absolute carnage in the process, but he was travelling well at the time and was a bit of an eyecatcher.

IF we get some rain in the next month, he could be firmly on the radar for the December Gold Cup back here in a month's time, as he loves it plenty softer.

1050: Back to the racing and this will be the key question for most punters in the Greatwood Hurdle today: Can Verdana Blue follow up her recent Elite Hurdle win in the big handicap on today's card?

She's a cracking mare in the form of her life and she loves these sort of conditions, too. Under her 5lb penalty she's running off her correct mark and she could well progress again. Indeed, 151 might just underestimate her a little on the Elite win.

But it's only eight days since she ran. She was also defeated in her only two starts here at Cheltenham. Was this an afterthought? Maybe. On balance, I'm happy to take her on.

1045: More than just the racing going on here at Cheltenham today as the racecourse remembers the contribution of Gloucestershire and the racing community in the First World War.

1040: Just come racing.

1032: AUDIO: Myself and The Two Mike's preview today's racing. I couldn't remember anything that Lalor beat at Aintree but I know it's good form. I'll dig it out later.

1026: VIDEO: A little preview of today's Sky Bet Supreme Trial. I must admit, I think this Seddon is a shorty but a goodie.

1019: It was fantastic to see Coneygree put in a superb effort off a big weight in handicap company here at Cheltenham yesterday. Such a talented horse, if one besieged with problems, but you rarely see a winner get the reception he did for his third place. Let's hope he's out again soon.

1000: We missed The Glancing Queen win the Mares' Bumper in the Saturday gloom yesterday as the blog retired for a slightly early finish but connections were understandably delighted with her taking debut win.

Trainer Alan King said: "She's lovely. I adore her - and I'm not saying that because she's won, I've said it all the way through. I wasn't going to go the bumper route - she was entered over hurdles during the week, and I had two pretty smart fillies [The Glancing Queen and Alsa Mix] entered in the same race at Exeter on Tuesday and I thought, 'I can't run them both'.

"Alsa Mix won [at Exeter], so I rang Charles Dingwall, one of The Glancing Queen's owners, and said, 'Can I be really silly and put her in this Listed bumper at Cheltenham?' and that's what we've done. She was always travelling very comfortably for Wayne. We just told him to ride her to run well and, if we could get black type, that would be a huge plus.

"She has only had one run in her life and none of my string has worked on grass this season. We are just coming from the all-weather and she is very special.

"She didn't really surprise me today, but she jumps so bloody well - she's won a point to point - and there is a shortage of mares' bumpers, so I thought we could come here and maybe sneak a bit of black type. What we do now I don't know - we'll enjoy today. She could easily go to Aintree and Sandown in the spring for these races. It's a really nice problem to have!"

The Glancing Queen. Young and Sweet. Only four.

0957: We had a 9/1 Value Bet winner yesterday and I'm back for more this afternoon - and all this despite a health scare on Friday night (self-cert at 9.30pm) at the start of this three-day jamboree. One word. Trooper. I'm taking on Dave's selection with two against the field.

0955: Our tipsters wouldn't make much of a boy band but they were among the winners yesterday - including the bearded scribe David Ord, shortly to appear on the Sunday Forum on At The Races (415, watch and heckle at your TV). His 4/1 nap went in on Saturday and he bids to follow-up in the Greatwood today.

0950: Good morning and welcome to Cheltenham where we race on a surface that remains Good, Good to Soft in places. Simon Claisse was up early as you can see below.

The sun is out again already and we look set fair for another fabulous day. It's pretty unusual. My memories of Greatwood day are soft ground, hiding from the rain and watching the bumper in the dark.

GET THE FULL PICTURE: Don't miss out on FREE video replays and our fantastic My Stable tracker. Log in now and become a Sporting Life Insider.

Related horse racing links

• Sky Bet's horse racing odds
• Free horse racing betting tips
• All today's racecards
• Today's fast results
• Today's full results
• Non-runners
• Today's Goings
• Today's Naps Table
• ABC Guide