Cheltenham November Meeting Saturday Tips: Sergeant to take command at HQ

The November Meeting rolls into Saturday - providing it survives a 07:30 inspection - with a seven-race card featuring a couple of Grade 2s and the lucrative Gold Cup Handicap Chase.

My Cheltenham November Meeting Saturday tips includes an each-way fancy in the big one who looks overpriced on return to Prestbury Park.

12:35 - Secret Force @ 10/3

It's next to impossible to get a proper handle on these three-year-olds at this stage of the season, but I can't help but feel SECRET FORCE is a little overpriced for the Triumph Trial that opens the card at HQ on Saturday.

Gavin Cromwell brings the son of Frankel over after a stylish success on hurdling debut at Punchestown last month.

He ran out a six-and-a-half-length winner, beating the reopposing Hopes Are High and subsequent victor Adrienne. The SP favourite back in fourth, a whopping 16 lengths behind the selection, won by nine-and-a-half lengths at Down Royal previously.

Secret Force obliged on heavy ground at Listowel on the flat, suggesting conditions will be no bother for him, and he of course has that all-important fitness edge over the top two in the market, who also concede a bit of weight.

He looks the solid play to me.

13:45 - Burdett Road @ 13/2

I understand the doubts about BURDETT ROAD over fences. The Champion Hurdle runner-up is only a small horse and his pedigree doesn't exactly scream chaser - but he must be showing trainer James Owen something to suggest otherwise at home, or he'd be staying over hurdles. Surely?

If he takes to it, he's well overpriced for the Arkle Trial, as he was the best of this six-strong field over the smaller obstacles.

The five-year-old son of Muhaarar beat the reopposing Be Aware, conceding three pounds, in last year's Greatwood Hurdle and his run at the Festival behind Golden Ace, for as much as he was fortunate to claim second spot, is a fine piece of form.

He's race-fit after a nice effort behind Rubaud in Listed company at Kempton last time out and I just can't let him go unbacked at this price. The potential reward is well worth the risk as far as I'm concerned.

14:20 - Thecompanysergeant each-way @ 10/1

The feature race of the November Meeting is the Gold Cup Handicap Chase, run in memory of the late Edward O'Grady who passed away this summer. Fifteen go to post over 2m4f, and the prize is a healthy £91k to the winner.

Cheltenham Festival winner Jagwar heads the betting but on a line through him, THECOMPANYSERGEANT looks overpriced.

Another Gavin Cromwell raider, the eight-year-old finished runner-up to the aforementioned Jagwar in the Plate over slightly shorter than course and distance, and he's a pound better off this time.

I appreciate that's a miniscule difference, but he's also race-fit, whereas Jagwar reappears after 247 days on the sidelines. He's a big horse who I suspect isn't the easiest to get ready, and he may need to the run.

Thecompanysergeant's form has dipped since the Festival, but not without excuses. He isn't as effective over the smaller obstacles, so his run at the Punchestown Festival wasn't bad at all. The Galway Plate and Kerry National were a step too far in my book.

He'll feel more at home back down in trip and shouldn't be inconvenienced by the ground, given his form behind classy rivals Mister Policeman and Spillane's Tower last year was on heavy.

Betfred are paying four places on the feature, so this is an each-way suggestion at the prices.

15:30 - Jurancon @ 11/4

Finally, I'm hopeful for JURANCON in the penultimate race on the card - an intermediate handicap hurdle over 2m5f.

David Pipe has a nice crop of horses at his disposal this year and his six-year-old son of Free Port Lux, for Brocade Racing of Native River fame, is right up there among the best of them.

The selection's form under rules reads 12121211 and I think there's a lot more to come this season, especially over these longer trips.

He was kept exclusively over two miles last year, despite consistently shaping as if he wants a step up in trip, but he was classy enough to cope with it.

His beating of subsequent Grade 2 winner Tripoli Flyer, rated 142, suggests he's a good bit better than his mark of 132, which is just five pounds higher than when making easy work of a handicap at Newbury in March.

If anything, he might be lacking in the fitness department considering this is his first run in over 250 days, after having a wind op, in testing conditions, but his trainer's made a strong start to the season (25% strike rate in the past 14 days) especially with first-time-out runners, so there's reason for optimism on that front.

There's some nice rivals in opposition, but none with stronger claims in my book.

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