Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing coming your way from Cheltenham and Fontwell Park on 16 November 2025.
CHELTENHAM
Race 2 No3 JIG’S FORGE (Nap)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Ben Jones
A novice I’m looking forward to this season is JIG’S FORGE, who is a horse with untapped potential. The former Irish point winner made a stylish start to jumping under Rules when successful at Ffos Las and ran a cracker when just out of the money in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival when starting at 125-1. Though underwhelming on his final start at Perth he’s always promised to find his forte over fences, and straight into a novices’ limited handicap this is his chance to prove it.
Race 3 No4 TRIPLE TRADE
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Brendan Powell
TRIPLE TRADE didn’t manage to win in the 2024/25 season but picked up minor prize money at some of the bigger meetings, including when fourth to Libberty Hunter here in December. He has a good record when returning from a break, and close to his best will give these opponents plenty to think about.
Race 4 No3 BEAUPORT
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
The attritional conditions are the key to BEAUPORT, who can make a winning return in this marathon at the start of a campaign his connections hope will end in another crack at the Grand National. The ground wasn’t nearly testing enough for him in that race back in April, yet he gave it a good shot by racing prominently for much of the journey. He had scored on his first run of the season at Ascot, and was placed in consecutive Graded hurdles at Ascot and Haydock. A past winner of the Midlands Grand National, he has few miles on his racing clock, and can make it a first career success at this course.
Race 5 UNIBET GREATWOOD HANDICAP HURDLE
No1 CELTIC DINO (Each Way)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Dylan Johnston
There’s been plenty of support for MIRABAD in his bid to add to the Skeltons’ fine record in this race. The six-year-old returns following a close season breathing operation but has had a lot of the value punted out of him. He could blow them away, but in consideration of the good form of his stable, CELTIC DINO is worth backing against him at his forecast odds of around 12-1. The chestnut was at his best at this time of the year in his novice season and duly made a perfect return when landing the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Chepstow. He’s paid a price for that and the testing ground is an unknown for him, but he remains a classy operator, and Dylan Johnston can ease his burden through his 3lb claim. Dan Skelton has a solid second string to his bow in KNICKERBOCKERGLORY who scored on his 2024 reappearance at the start of a select campaign. The Philip Hobbs-trained ALEXEI should make an impact following his smooth Ascot win, while at a massive price WELSH CHARGER is not totally discounted.
Prediction: 1st CELTIC DINO, 2nd Mirabad, 3rd Alexei, 4th Knickerbockerglory, 5th Welsh Charger
Race 6 No13 SAINT JEANNAIS
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
My best news in what is usually an informative bumper concerns SAINT JEANNAIS. He made a perfect start when bounding clear at the end of his Worcester race last month and on that evidence could be anything. A big danger however is CHICKER, who is unbeaten in two and brings course and distance form to the table.
FONTWELL PARK
Race 2 No1 ALFA CHARLIE (Each Way)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Mr Harvey Barfoot
ALFA CHARLIE needs to step up on what he showed on a sole outing for Gordon Elliott at Fairyhouse, but a change of stable could have made a difference as he’s a well related individual and can only improve.
Race 4 No2 LIVIN ON LUCO (Nap)
Trainer: Philip Hobbs – Jockey: Callum Pritchard
LIVIN ON LUCO has the stamina requirements to go well in the featured Southern National. The Malinas gelding scored first time back and on chase debut at Newton Abbot around this time last year. He underwhelmed on his next two starts but there was much to like about the way he shaped behind Top Of The Bill when last seen at Ffos Las in March.
Race 6 No4 JUST OVER LAND
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: My Harvey Barfoot
Although unsuccessful in five starts last season, JUST OVER LAND showed snatches of ability to trouble the judge three times. He’s no star, but this is not a strong field and granted his liking for the easy conditions he could be good enough.
