CHELTENHAM NH NOVEMBER MEETING - SATURDAY 16th NOVEMBER

The November Meeting takes centre stage. Day Two of the biggest Jump racing fixture before Christmas features the iconic BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham Racecourse. The racing highlight of The November Meeting always draws a large, high-class field and was won last year by the popular Jamie Moore and Gary Moore team with Baron Alco this 2m 4f race should be off about 2:25 and the meeting is of course live on ITV Racing. IF we go ahead they've made the start time earlier at 12:05 and added an extra race too. 

NEWS - As we lost Friday's meeting to a water-logged course there is an inspection for 3pm on Friday to decide if Saturday's meeting can go ahead. As such we will not update this page until the result of that inspection is known and hopefully will we be able to race.
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Following the 3pm inspection we have good news that racing is currently ON for Saturday and Sunday. Cheltenham racecourse have confirmed via twitter; "Following an inspection this afternoon, racing will go ahead on Saturday 16th November and Sunday 17th November, The going is currently soft, heavy in places."

Surface:  Turf
Going:  Soft, heavy in places

12:05  Ballymore Novices Hurdle (registered as The Hyde Novices Hurdle)
(Class 1, 2m 5f, 8 runners)
Bit rushed tonight, selections and feature race info first, will update if I can later. Opening race looks competitive where I K BRUNEL would be popular amongst the engineering community (and we not far from Bristol / Swindon his home patch) if we can dutch that with L'AIR DU VENT against the field. 

Result - 1st THYME HILL 11/8F

12:40  Jcb Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (registered as The Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle)
(Class 1, 2m 87y, 11 runners)
Paul Nicholls always feared at the big weekend meetings and he's got a live one in MICK PASTOR here is already a winner on heavy going in France and the penalty for that win might not be enough to stop him making it two, at a bigger price we also like the looks of NORDANO another who has winning form on soft going at Chepstow (and if it's soft there you know about it) will have every assistance from rider Bryony Frost. 

Result - 1st ALLMANKIND 11/4

13:15  Mallardjewellers.com Novices' Chase 
(Class 2, 3m 80y, 7 runners)
POKER PLAY to come out on top here, would have supported this David Pipe runner had the Friday meeting survived the weather.

Result - 1st WHOLESTONE 13/8F

13:50  BetVictor.com Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
(Class 1, 3m 3f 71y, 7 runners)
This trip will certainly take some getting in the heavy ground and we'll side with a couple that receive plenty of weight in ACHILLE [2nd 10/1] (Venetia Williams) and POTTERS LEGEND (Lucy Wadham) against the field.


Result - WEST APPROACH 11/4jf.

14:25  BetVictor Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 
(Class 1, 2m 4f 44y, 20 runners)
The feature race has attracted a big field of 20 chasers, if we get the go ahead to race should be a great spectacle. SAINT CALVADOS heads the weights and has an entry in Sunday's Shloer Chase too while SIRUH DU LAC heads the betting having won well at the Festival back in March, Lizzie Kelly is back on board again. SPLASH OF GINGE won this in 2017 and gets in with bottom weight of 10-4 here might be an each way play at 25/1+ despite his advancing years.

Result - HAPPY DIVA 14/1.

15:00  Spinal Injuries Assoc 'Big Bucks' Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) 
(Class 1, 2m 7f 208y, 10 runners)
Both 5yo's but have plenty of racing and maybe can put their youth to good effect SMACKWATER JACK ridden by Richard Johnson was runner up at Aintree and given another chance to get home in the soft, while EVA'S OSCAR has three wins this season has at least encountered soft going before too and is clearly in good order to be given a chance here.

Result - GOLAN FORTUNE 14/1.

15:30  BetVictor Intermediate Handicap Hurdle 
(Class 2, 2m 5f, 10 runners)
FALCO BLITZ.
LEGENDS GOLD.

Result - JATILUWIH 11/4F.

16:00  Karndean Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (listed Race)
(Class 1, 2m 87y, 11 runners)
The concluding bumper can go to LEGENDS RYDE but not a race for me to get too interested in especially on this going and after today's racing has churned it up.

Result - URBAN ARTIST 16/1.

An update for Sunday meeting should also be available soon including news of any further inspections if needed.

CHELTENHAM NH NOVEMBER MEETING [OFF!!] - FRIDAY 15th NOVEMBER

The three day Cheltenham November Meeting commences this Friday featuring Countryside Day, a tradition dating back over two decades where money is raised for the Countryside Alliance and Racing Welfare causes.

There's a number of different events going on today and these include 10.45-11.25 in the Parade Ring, there will be a gundog display from Game Goer along with hawks and ferrets 11.25-11.40 racing legend Sir Anthony McCoy will receive a riding lesson from double Olympic medal-winning dressage rider Laura Tomlinson in the Parade Ring. At 11.40, Trail hounds will parade from the Parade Ring to the course, they will race at 11.55 and prior to that there will be a parade of some of GB's biggest Equine heroes, including: 

• Double Olympic Gold winning horses Big Star and Valegro 
• The Rio Olympic star and 2015 Badminton Winner, Chilli Morning
• Duel Cheltenham Festival winner Sprinter Sacre (below)

At 1.25, after the second race, The Cotswold Hunt and Hounds will parade along the course. It is a longstanding Countryside Day tradition that after the second race, a number of hunts from the south west and midlands will be on course, along with the Cotswold hounds. Racegoers are welcome to join the packs on the racecourse, ground conditions permitting. That all sounds great and the country folk will love it, maybe the townies will be less excited and will stay in the bars. For us it's the kick off for the NH season with the first BIG meeting now that the turf flat season has closed till spring.

NEWS - Today's meeting has been abandoned due to a waterlogged course, so no further update. Will keep a check on prospects for Saturday and Sunday !

Cheltenham have abandoned Friday's meeting and will inspect at 3pm on Friday to see if Saturday's card, featuring the BetVictor Gold Cup, can take place. A statement from the course read: "After 37mm rainfall in the past 18 hours, very sadly we have had to abandon racing at Cheltenham on Friday 15 November, as the course is flooded in areas as well as waterlogged in places. Ahead of racing on Saturday there will be a further inspection on Friday afternoon at 3pm. Further information will be issued accordingly. The weather outlook for the next few days is showers on Friday with dry days currently forecast for Saturday and Sunday." 

Surface:  Turf
Going:  Soft

12:40 - The Markel Insurance Amateur Riders Handicap Steeple Chase
(Class 3)  3m 1f [13 Runners]
A field of thirteen have been declared for this opening event of the meeting, headed by CLOTH CAP (JJ O'Neill) and Trevor Hemmings horses usually excel over 3m+ here. David Pipe runs two here, WHAT A MOMENT and also KNOW THE SCORE, the latter ridden by JJ Codd who is one of the more experienced amateurs and had plenty of racecourse miles on the clock so should be right up there. At a bigger price and one for the 'place' market players PLANTAGENET has been running well for Miss Gina Andrews and wouldn't be surprised if they have another big run in this company.

Result - .

13:15 - The Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Race
2m 1/2f  [10 Runners]
Will update this race later...as we hear the meeting is about to be called off due to water-logging. Awaiting further news. 

Result - .

13:50 - Betvictor Handicap Chase 
Class 2, 2m  [7 runners]
Friday's feature race has attracted a field of seven runners, top of these is the Paul Nicholls trained BRELAN D'AS who unseated Barry Geraghty here at the last meeting and will need to put in a better round of jumping this time, however is still second favourite to DOITFORTHEVILLAGE a 10yo of Paul Henderson's who while doesn't have the most obvious form from last two runs there are pieces of form in better races last season that can put him in the frame.

Result - .

14:25 - The Steel Plate And Sections Novices’ Steeple Chase 
(Class 2) 2m 4 1/2f  [4 Runners]
Just the four line up for the novice chase now, where Nicky Henderson runs two including the likely favourite in BIRCHDALE this 5yo owned by JP McManus is making his seasonal reappearance and receives weight from two of his opponents but not from his stablemate ANGELS BREATH. David Pipe runs POKER PLAY who has already won at Ffos Las and should be fit to give the favourite plenty to think about. The top weight JARVEYS PLATE completes this small and select line up but I will side with Poker Play to spring a small surprise today.

Result - .

15:00 - The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase 
(Class 2) 3m 6f  [11 Runners]
Meeting is now OFF.

Result - .

15:35 - The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Race 
(Grade 2)  2m 5f  [7 Runners]
Racing for today has been called off.

Result - .

Updates for Saturday and Sunday will follow soon, and we should also have the results here too, enjoy the meeting.

FA CUP SECOND ROUND DRAW, MONDAY 11th NOVEMBER [BBC2 7PM]

The draw for the Second Round of this years Emirates FA Cup will be made later on tonight, it will be broadcast live on the BBC Two Channel. The Dons have made it into this draw after a well fought 1-1 draw at home against Doncaster, so replay permitting we can have another cup run this season? Still not scoring enough goals and the league form has begun to pick up so maybe the rest of the season will be better as it goes on. Well done to National League South side Darlington who scored a 97th-minute equaliser to earn a replay with League Two Walsall. And also to Port Vale beating the Franchise failures 1-0 to dump them out of the cup already. They'll be a number of non league participants in the second round including Dover who beat Southend on Sunday afternoon 1-0 and the likes of Notts County, Kingstonian, Maidstone and Solihull Moors.

There are 40 Numbers in the "hat" for the Second Round, the draw is live on BBC TV shortly after 7pm on Monday night and will be hosted by Mark Chapman. The draw will take place at Oaklands Park, the home ground of Chichester City FC who of course got a 1st round bye into the second round. The final 1st round tie sees Harrogate Town against Portsmouth tonight. The draw will be conducted by ex Cambridge and Manchester United forward Dion Dublin and Mark Bright who played for Crystal Palace against United in the 1990 cup final.

AFC Wimbledon are ball No.23. Once again we hope for an easy home draw to see us in with a shout of the lucrative 3rd round tie against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool or one of the Manchester clubs away (fingers crossed).

The Full 2nd round draw will appear here during the evening as the ties are confirmed and the matches are to be played over the weekend of November 30th and December 1st. with TV games to be decided later but the first BBC game is usually on Friday night.

      Blackpool Town     Vs     Maidstone United
      Portsmouth     Vs     Altrincham

      Shrewsbury   Vs     Mansfield Town

      Coventry City     Vs     Ipswich Town

      Kingstonian     Vs     AFC Fylde

      Tranmere Rovers    Vs    Chichester City

      Walsall     Vs     Oxford United

      Exeter City     Vs     Hartlepool United

      Eastleigh     Vs     Crewe Alexandra
      Forest Green Rovers     Vs     Carlisle United

      Solihull Moors     Vs     Rotherham United

      Gillingham     Vs    Doncaster Rovers

      Rochdale     Vs     Boston United

      Peterborough United     Vs     Dover Athletic

      Oldham Athletic     Vs     Burton Albion

      Maldon and Tiptree     Vs     Newport County

      Crawley Town     Vs     Fleetwood Town
      Cheltenham Town     Vs     Port Vale

      Northampton Town     Vs     Notts County

      Bristol Rovers     Vs     Plymouth Argyle

Let's see who we 'might' get in the second round although we do have a replay next week in Doncaster still to come for the Dons, good luck to everyone with a place in the third round up for grabs. Well it could be a trip to Sunderland but as both ties require a replay we'll not know until after next week.

Sadly there's no cup run for us this season losing the replay 2-0 to Doncaster, good luck to them against Gillingham in round two.