Andy Newton’s Cheltenham Racing Tips: Saturday ITV Racing Best Bets

1:45 Cheltenham – Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m ITV

Some good horses have won this over the years, including Friday’s Shloer Chase winner L’Eau du Sud (2024) and Put The Kettle On in 2019.

With the last-named the most recent horse to take this and go onto land the Arkle at the Festival in 2019/20.

All of the last ten winners of this race were aged five or six.

So these could be a negative for the four year-old Stencil, Brentford Hope at eight and Breaking Cover, who is seven.

Last year’s Greatwood Hurdle first and second Burdett Road and Be Aware could be nice recruits to the chasing game.

Be Aware won the same race at Stratford that his stablemate L’Eau du Sud did before taking this.

Burdett Road was runner-up in that dramatic Champion Hurdle and makes his chase debut here.

His Cheltenham record is solid 1-2-1-2 but we don’t know how he’s going to take to a fence.

So the safer call is JULY FLOWER, who impressed at Limerick over fences last time (11 lengths). See below.

Plus was fifth to possible Champion Hurdle runner Lossiemouth in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival back in March.

Oh, the final plus is she’s trained by Henry De Bromhead, who looked after the already mentioned Put The Kettle On.

🥇JULY FLOWER
🥈BURDETT ROAD 
🥉BE AWARE

✅️ JULY FLOWER has been declared in the Grade 2 Arkle Trial at Cheltenham on Saturday.pic.twitter.com/ytzfRMiJ5Y

— Road To Cheltenham (@RoadCheltenham) November 13, 2025

2:20 Cheltenham – Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase (In memory of Edward O’Grady) (Premier Handicap) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m4f ITV

The usual competitive renewal, with cases to be made for bundles.

JP McManus is looking for his first win in his race but has a big chance of breaking that duck with Jagwar (now a non-runner).

He landed the Plate here at the Festival in March. However, is up 9lbs so has a big weight with 12st to lump – that might be a big ask.

Taquin Du Seuil won with 11st 11lbs in 2016, but we’ve not had a winner carry 12st+ since 1965.

Vincenzo comes from the in-form Sam Thomas yard and is yet to finish out of the first two over fences.

He’s very much respected with Dylan Johnson taking off 3lbs too.

Last Year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup Winner Back For More

But the two I like here are last year’s winner IL RIDOTO, who is running in the race for a fourth time.

Is only a pound higher (but no Freddie Gingell claiming 3lbs this time)  and Harry Cobden takes over in a race he won in 2023 on Stage Star.

His other runs in the race have been third in 2023 and fourth in 2022.

And he’s also taken a similar route to last year – when running at Chepstow last month (second), like 12 months ago.

Of the rest, trainer Dan Skelton has had several near misses in this race – but is yet to win it.

This could be his year though.

He sends a three-pronged attack with Panic Attack, Riskintheground and HOE JOLY SMOKE – with the last-named seven year-old looking the value.

15 of the last 23 winners of this race were aged six or seven, which is the first plus.

While he ran a blinder here at the Showcase Meeting in October, when third.

That came over 3m1f and just seemed to either need the run or might benefit from a drop back in trip, which he gets here (2m4f).

Any rain will be a plus too, as he still stays – has won over three miles – and that recent run should have him fitter than most.

He’s also one of the better Paddy Power Gold Cup soft ground runners – being two-from-two racing on soft.

🥇HOE JOLY SMOKE (e/w)
🥈IL RIDOTO
🥉VINCENZO 

2:55 Cheltenham – From The Horses Mouth Podcast Handicap Hurdle Cl2 (4yo+) 3m ITV

Long Draw was runner-up in the next race (3:30pm) last season and was a fine fourth at the October Meeting here last month.

He’s off the same mark and has champion jumps jockey Sean Bowen in the plate – there’s a lot to like.

The nine year-old Gowel Road often runs well here. Plus was 11th in that same Long Draw race but is only 2lbs better off with the Murphy runner.

But there is another horse from that race in here – SUPREMELY WEST, who was third that day and is only a pound higher.

He was also running on well that day at the finish to suggest he’ll come on a lot for it. He was still just over two lengths ahead of Long Draw.

Is also from the Skelton yard that won this last year and that last run was his first for the stable (former Newland/Insole) and first after a wind op.

Which also indicates further progress is on the cards.

The final one of interest is KIKIJO, who also ran on well in his last race when fourth at Aintree.

Has been raised only a pound here and will like the softer ground for sure, plus the Hobbs team took this pot in 2021 with Sporting John.

Off just 10st 2lbs he’s also got in here off a featherweight.

🥇SUPREMELY WEST
🥈KIKIJO
🥉LONG DRAW 

3:30 Cheltenham – Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle Cl3 (3yo+ 0-140) 2m5f ITV

Hamsiyann took this race last year and despite being 10lbs higher has to be respected from the Tony Martin team, who has won two of the last three renewals.

French Ship was a good winner of the opening Showcase Meeting race last month. He’s up 8lbs for that but won’t mind any rain and the slightly longer trip here could eke out more.

Jurancon will be popular too and could go off as the jolly. This race has seen six winning favourites in the last 20 runnings.

He was in fine form at the end of last season with two wins at Newbury. However, is back from a 259-day break so fitness is taken on trust.

And I’m not totally convinced with the form of that last Newbury win. With the second, third and fourth all beaten since.

So the main call here is another Dan Skelton runner – ROYAL INFANTRY. 

He was third last time at Chepstow – beaten only four lengths.

Is only up 2lbs for that effort and that race also featured French Ship, who fell three out.

But I think Royal Infantry would have still finished ahead of the Hobbs horse and is actually 6lbs better off here.

The form of that race has been franked too – with, of course, French Ship winning since. Plus the fourth Idy Wood going in, plus the second Paggane also winning.

Add to that the sixth Take No Chances (sixth) running second to Strong Leader next time. And Josh The Boss running well over fences too – albeit one being a walkover (ha).

Then it’s hard to knock the form of that recent Chepstow race.

So Royal Infantry can hopefully ‘crown off’ a top day for trainer Dan Skelton.

🥇ROYAL INFANTRY
🥈HAMSIYANN
🥉FRENCH SHIP