Neil Morrice best bets and tips – Friday, 14 November 2025

CHELTENHAM

Race 1 No14 A PAI DE NOM (Each Way)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Tristan Durrell

The Paddy Power Gold Cup fixture kicks off with a good betting heat in which A PAI DE NOM could prove the route to goal. The selection has attracted support in both starts over hurdles at Newton Abbot, scoring there first time up and then running into a potentially smart opponent in Gentleman Toboot, who proved his match. That was probably a good race by Newton Abbot standards and on a switch to handicaps with a talented conditional on board the five-year-old should run well. KAP VERT might have needed his first run back and can also get into the argument, while hat-trick seeking LUCKY MANIFEST appears to have turned a corner this season and is also respected. His stablemate MARLACOO and prolific winner EL CAPITAINE need inclusion, but the main threat could emerge from WALKADINA, who I shall have a saver on.

Race 4 SHLOER CHASE (Grade 2)

No7 MATATA (Each Way)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: JJ Slevin

The box office horse in action today is JONBON, who is carded to start odds-on to make it a hat-trick of successes in this early trial for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The nine-year-old put in an extraordinary run following a monumental error when finishing second in that contest here in March, but though largely proficient at his fences there’s always the chance he could make a similar blunder. LIBERTY HUNTER won on his reappearance at the December meeting here last season, and with his ability to go well fresh might make a race of it with the favourite. Both he and L’EAU DU SUD are contenders, but at a much bigger price MATATA looks interesting. He took out a Grade 2 handicap chase at this meeting in 2024, was also successful at that level at Windsor and needed his first run back at The Showcase meeting last month. The confirmed front runner needs everything to go right when he’s pressured running down the hill, but if this turns into a race of incident he’s one that can benefit.

Prediction: 1st MATATA, 2nd Liberty Hunter, 3rd Jonbon

Race 5 ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 2)

No8 NO DRAMA THIS END (Each Way)
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden

This is stacked with Irish challengers of whom WELONLYHAVEDONE may prove the pick. Gavin Cromwell’s charge experienced mixed fortunes in two starts at Galway last month where he might be counted as unlucky not to leave unbeaten. GREAT FLEET ran well as a 20-1 roughie here to prove he’s benefitted from a breathing operation, but both might find the highly promising NO DRAMA THIS END too hot to handle. The selection won a point at Bradbury Rings before impressing on his first outing under Rules in a Warwick bumper on New Year’s Eve. He was far from disgraced on his final start in the Champion Bumper at the Festival, and has been touted by his trainer as the type that could turn into a Challow Hurdle horse, a route so many good horses from Ditcheat have taken over the years.

Race 6 No1 FORTUNE DE MER (Nap)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton

A market move for last year’s Cesarewitch winner ALPHONSE LE GRANDE would have to be seen as significant but much that the five-year-old appeals getting weight from the field there are others to consider, including his stablemate BRUANT who was a dual scorer for Jean Claude Rouget in France before moving to Ireland where he’s been lightly raced. FRENCH EMPEROR is a strong traveller who could build on his comeback triumph at Worcester, but a more likely winner is top weight FORTUNE DE MER, who although lightly raced has plenty of experience round here. He took out a bumper at the corresponding fixture 12 months ago; finished in the ruck in the Champion Bumper but reacted positively to the fitting of a hood to gain a last gasp success in a Grade 2 novices’ hurdle last month which if repeated makes him the one to beat on handicap bow.

Prediction: 1st FORTUNE DE MER, 2nd Alphonse Le Grande, 3rd Bruant, 4th French Emperor

SOUTHWELL

Race 3 No1 ADMIRAL STEWART (Nap)
Trainer: Jamie Snowden – Jockey: Gavin Sheehan

Most of the evidence from his four outings under Rules is that former point winner ADMIRAL STEWART is a horse to follow. It was in a walkover that he netted a first chasing triumph, but there was great potential in what he achieved over hurdles, and his trainer has a good record with his runners here.

Race 5 No5 NORTHANGER ABBEY
Trainer: Philip Hobbs – Jockey: Mr Ben Sutton

NORTHANGER ABBEY makes abundant appeal on a quiet day for the Hobbs stable. He was sourced from an Irish pointing yard that has provided the trainer with some smart performers over the years, and ran well in each of his three points. He’s starting off in an open looking affair, and needs to get past a well touted paper favourite in WONDERING WHY.

NEWCASTLE

Race 4 No8 DISGUISEDLIMIT
Trainer: Oliver Greenall – Jockey: Robbie Dunne

On his seasonal return, DISGUISEDLIMIT looks attractive getting weight from his seven opponents in this two and a half mile handicap chase. A winner f his only point in Ireland, he earned on all four starts for Philip Hobbs last season and can improve for a step up in trip.

Race 6 No6 MCGRATH FROM CLUNE (Nap)
Trainer: Tom Gretton – Jockey: Benjamin Macey

At a shorter price, MCGRATH FROM CLUNE looks the best bet on the card. He had little to recommend him before scoring easily as a 33-1 roughie at Hereford. New tactics proved the key, as he made all and forged clear on the run in. He just needs to prove it was no fluke.