The International Meeting at Cheltenham is the final fixture of the year at Prestbury Park and recognised as one of the most important meetings of the jumps season calendar in terms of potentially identifying those who could be worth following come the Festival in March. 

Having typically provided plenty of clues for the main event in March, I have highlighted some horses whose price is likely to change and could be worth backing for their possible assignments at the Cheltenham Festival 2023 before the weekend’s two-day action in the Cotswolds has concluded. 

Here I look at some betting clues for the Cheltenham Festival in the hope I can give you an extra edge ahead of the main course in March. 

Nassalam 

Best Price 10/1 for the Racing TV Handicap Chase | Friday 14:25

Gary Moore’s stable has made an excellent start to the season and one of his intended runners this weekend, Nassalam, could be one for one of the big handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Currently entered in both the 3m2f Handicap Chase on the Friday and the AIS December Gold Cup Handicap Chase over 2m4f on Saturday. 

I would, however, would much prefer to see him take his chance in the formerly mentioned race, as the way he stormed up the hill to finish a never-nearer 6th of 14 having been outpaced in the Paddy Power Gold Cup suggested he is crying out for a step up in distance. 

He wasn’t exactly beaten far considering he was hampered and shuffled towards the back of the field when the race began to take shape four out and whilst it looked like he was going to finish last at one point, he relished the uphill climb to the line to get past Simply The Betts on the run-in. 

Moreover, the handicapper has subsequently reduced his mark by a handy two pounds. If he does perform well this weekend, he could be an each-way shout in the something like the Ultima Chase or the Plate Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. 

Scriptwriter 

Best Price 6/4 for the Summit Juvenile Hurdle | Saturday 13:30

Knight Salute progressed through the ranks last season and went on to land the Grade 1 Jewson Anniversary 4-y-o Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree. While he was below-par in the Triumph Hurdle, he developed into one of the best juvenile hurdlers of the season and Milton Harris could have another star on his hands this season with unbeaten hurdler, Scriptwriter. 

Having landed the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle last season with the former, Scriptwriter made no mistake in repeating the feat for the Wiltshire handler at the November Meeting. 

He had previously won on his hurdles debut at Sedgefield and took a rise up the ladder in that Grade 2 event here last time, where he travelled really well and was given a patient-confident ride by Paddy Brennan, who produced his mount perfectly after the final flight. 

Despite stumbling slightly on the landing side, the manner in which he quickened up the hill to hold off the late challenge of Perseus Way was impressive. The difference between himself and Knight Salute is that the latter was only rated 75 on the Flat, whereas this horse is rated 102 in that sphere and was plying his trade in group events towards the end of his time with former boss Aidan O’Brien. 

He is sure to have learnt a lot from his latest victory at this course and has room for improvement in the jumping department too. While Knight Salute failed to fire in the Triumph Hurdle for connections back in March, general odds of 20/1 for Scriptwriter’s chances in the opener of the final day of the Cheltenham Festival could seem fair value if he can extend his unbeaten record to three in this sphere this weekend. 

Monmiral

Paul Nicholls’ Grade 1 winning hurdler Monmiral was comfortably beaten by Jonbon on his chase debut at Warwick last month and despite finishing seven lengths adrift of the winner, he ran well. 

The winner subsequently boosted his Arkle Chase claims with an easy victory in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase last weekend. The 3rd, West Cork, who won last season’s Greatwood Hurdle, was well-beaten in behind. 

The five-year-old Monmiral jumped and travelled smoothly throughout and is entitled to strip a lot fitter as he heads to Cheltenham for the first time in his career, which I think will suit him as he’s a fluent jumper who travels well, and should relish the stiff fences. 

After this race, his possible Festival targets will be a lot clearer as to what route Nicholls will go with him plus the trip at Warwick last time might have been on the short-side too, so the return to two-and-a-half miles could suit him better in this sphere and I see him as more of a Turners Novices’ Chase horse or a Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase horse if allowed to tackle three-miles rather than going for the Arkle. 

If he can pass this weekend’s test with flying colours, his price is surely going to evaporate within a flash for either the Turners or the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, so If you are thinking of backing him this weekend, he might be worth a small risk bet at double-figure odds for the races mentioned. 

Cheddleton

Best Price 20/1 for the December Gold Cup Handicap Chase | Saturday 13:50 

The Skeltons have had a brilliant season already courtesy of victories in the Betfair Chase, the Coral Gold Cup and more recently the Becher, so I can see why Midnight River heads the betting for AIS December Gold Cup Handicap Chase, having ran well when 4th in the Paddy Power Gold Cup when last spotted. 

That said, the Jennie Candlish-trained Cheddleton has been on my notes for quite a while now, ever since he finished runner-up to Editeur De Gite around this time last year at this course in fact. If you reflect on this seven-year-old’s CV, he’s never finished outside the top-four in all 15 career starts, which tells you all you need to know about his consistency under rules. 

I have an inkling that he’s been specifically trained for this race in mind given he had a prep-run over hurdles at Haydock last time, where he ran a really tidy race to finish 3rd. He was virtually upsides Benson at the finish, who did the form a bit of boost when running well at Aintree over the weekend. 

He will return to fences off a two pounds lower mark than when third at Doncaster back in March and any possible arrival of rain here will certainly increase his chances. I think he’s tailor-made for the Plate Handicap Chase at the Festival, so while he’s not yet been given a price for that race at this stage, a decent performance this weekend might bring him into the picture. 

I Like To Move It  

Best Price 11/8 for the Unibet International Hurdle | Saturday 14:25

Nigel Twiston-Davies has a phenomenal record in the International Hurdle having won this several times, which includes three times with The New One and also Khyber Kim, while Guard Your Dreams handed the Naunton handler a fifth win in the race 12 months ago.

The Greatwood Hurdle winner I Like To Move It will bid to complete a big-race double on Saturday and must have strong claims given how impressively he won last-time-out. 

The five-year-old, who has a lot of similarities to The New One, defied top weight of 12st at the November meeting to claim the Greatwood by five-lengths plus from the front, where he was giving 11lb to the runner-up and had the third horse 18 lengths further behind. 

Some of the hurdles were omitted and he got a flyer at the start but he probably would have won regardless of either of those things happening. The intention is that he’ll go chasing next season but surely his 50/1 price tag for the Champion Hurdle is too big to ignore? 

Yes, he could go for the County Hurdle again (12/1) but my gut instinct tells me connections will be tempted with the Champion Hurdle and if he can win this weekend, he won’t be 50/1 for that race despite Constitution Hill looking as though he could be unbeatable. 

It is highly likely he’ll be joined by Epatante and Knappers Hill in the International Hurdle but his trainer seems quite confident about his chances and he could end up being the each-way value in the Champion Hurdle if able to come out on top in the feature race on Saturday.