Today's Tote Placepot Tips for Cheltenham

It’s the start of Cheltenham’s three-day November Meeting today and a minimum of £250,000 is in the starting fund for today’s Placepot at Prestbury Park. I have covered the first six races below that make up today’s pool in the hope I can guide you to a winning perm. Best of luck!

Leg 1 Selections: Hector Javilex, Alvarood

The Charlie Longsdon-trained HECTOR JAVILEX has a decent chance in the opener. He looked in need of his hurdles/stable debut back in January but then showed significant improvement when he recorded back-to-back wins when benefitting from a positive ride. He made his return in the Grade Two Persian War Novices’ Hurdle last month and ran a good race to finish fifth, only weakening out of the frame in the closing stages. That form looks solid and he drops down massively in grade here on his handicap debut and today’s stiffer test of stamina should suit.

ALVARO has been largely consistent this year despite not being all that fluent at his hurdles in nearly each start. His short-head second to Finest Evermore back in August reads well, as the winner is now rated in the 140s, while the third and fourth went into that very race rated in the 130s. On that evidence, the six-year-old is thrown in here off 119 and his rider takes off a further three pounds to help matters too. 

Leg 2 Selections: Amarillo Sky, Captain Tom Cat

The Glancing Queen has to be respected given her course form, especially with how well she has taken to fences but giving weight to AMARILLO SKY on her return might prove a tough ask at the weights. The latter bagged two chase wins last season and ran a decent race when fifth in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival. He was well held in a Grade 1 on his final start last term but returns in much calmer waters and his experience of this course is ideal. He remains well-handicapped off 140, especially as he beat a 136-rated horse by ten lengths at Newbury earlier this year.

CAPTAIN TOM CAT has some unfinished business at this course. Dr Richard Newland’s talented charge has won four of his eight starts in this sphere, including a Grade Two around this time twelve months ago at Wincanton. He was running a blinder at the meeting last year when he departed at the final fence behind Third Time Lucki and although he couldn’t go with the winner, he looked set to finish a solid second. That is really smart form, alongside his Grade Two victory over Mick Pastor, and while he found things too tough in last month's Old Roan at Aintree, this is a lot easier and he will find this significant drop in grade off a five pounds lower mark reunited with Charlie Hammond much easier. 

Leg 3 Selections: Honneur D’Ajonc

Jane Williams’ HONNEUR D’AJONC cannot be ruled out at large odds and might be able to cause a mini surprise if he’s back to something near his best. The five-year-old enjoyed a stellar second half of the season over hurdles last term, winning four times, and was given a considerate introduction to this sphere when last of five at Chepstow on his reappearance. He’s bred to be a chaser and looks well-handicapped off 127 given he beat a previous Grade 1 winner over hurdles off only three pounds lower last year. He could be a serious challenger for potential top honours here. 

Leg 4 Selections: Ballyandy, Kauto Riko 

I am finding it difficult to split both BALLYANDY and KAUTO RIKO in this race. The former is a past Grade 1 winner and landed back-to-back staying handicap hurdle contests earlier this year and has loads of experience of Cheltenham, including when successful in the Champion Bumper a number of years ago. He was second at this meeting two years ago when runner-up in the Greatwood Hurdle off a mark of 150, so he’s undoubtedly well-treated off 142 over the larger obstacles here. 

KAUTO RIKO might emerge as his main danger though, who’s record fresh is great and he was fourth at this meeting two years ago in the Paddy Power Gold Cup off a five pounds higher mark. His fourth in the Cotswold Chase earlier this year is high-class form too, while his narrow second to Two For Gold on his return last season off a pound higher mark has been boosted since. He clearly finds it difficult to get his head in front but likewise to Ballyandy, he’s got loads of ability, and if the cheekpieces have a positive effect, he should go close back at a course that suits him well. 

Leg 5 Selections: Hermes Allen 

An excellent renewal of this Grade Two event, where all of these runners can be given some sort of a chance, including the outsider, but I was impressed with the way HERMES ALLEN went about his business on stable/hurdles debut at Stratford and is open to further improvement. I know the race was pretty thin but he looked a smart prospect and this expensive purchase, who cost £350,000, achieved an RPR of 144, which is quite remarkable for a horse having their first start in the UK over hurdles. Paul Nicholls is operating at an impressive 47% strike-rate (20-43) in the last two weeks, while Harry Cobden, is operating at an even higher strike-rate, 59% (19-32). This five-year-old has a good chance. 

Leg 6 Selections: Master Dancer 

MASTER DANCER made a lovely introduction to his UK career on stable debut at Stratford, winning with plenty to spare, and he’s been given a mark of 118, which looks more than exploitable on the evidence of that latest success at the midlands venue. He was a French chase winner for previous connections, he travelled with plenty of purpose and did extremely well to handle the pace set by Parramount before picking that rival off on the turn for home and then finding another gear to see off the eventual second. With much more to come, hopefully he can improve again to pose a serious threat in this deeper  race.