The three-day Cheltenham November meeting saw the Skeltons at the centre of it all, and they would take away the big race with Panic Attack landing the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday.
It’s been an impressive start to the season for Dan and Harry Skelton, and there’s no signs of them slowing down, the big Saturday’s are being dominated by the pair.
A special mention to Joe Tizzard, too, who sent three runners to the meeting, and they all won on what was a special weekend for his team.
Elsewhere, there was plenty more to like from the winners, in what is always a high-quality and very informative three days for punters.
Friday November 14
As well as the big win on Saturday, the Skelton’s grabbed Friday’s headlines as they teamed up to win the feature Shloer Chase with L’Eau du Sud, who came away to win by 15 lengths in front of odds on favourite Jonbon.
There was excuses on the day for Jonbon, who didn’t jump as well as he can, with trainer Nicky Henderson saying that he was short of work and would come on for the run.
Take nothing away from L’Eau du Sud, though, who was exceptional on the day. The pair are set to meet again in the Tingle Creek on the first weekend in December.
I was excited to see Wade Out run in the listed novice chase on the card, and he came home in front, slogging it out to win by three and a quarter lengths.
It wasn’t the type of performance that enhanced his Cheltenham credentials for March, especially as he didn’t put in the best round of jumping. But we do know he stays this trip now, as I thought he would, and it’ll be interesting to see where he goes next, I assume up into graded company.
Finally, No Drama This End took Friday’s Grade Two novice hurdle for Paul Nicholls on his debut over obstacles, and it was an impressive one.
I’m not sure this was the best Grade Two we’ll see, but he did it well considering, and there’s going to be talk around him and where he goes next.
The performance was enough to make him favourite for both the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle (16/1 best price) and the Turners Novice Hurdle (12/1 best price) at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
Saturday November 15
Panic Attack was the headline grabber on Saturday, with the mare landing the Paddy Power Gold Cup by four lengths under Harry Skelton, eased down in the end so he could celebrate on board.
She was excellent, handled the conditions well, and looked on a nice mark as I’d remarked in my November meeting preview article.
I think she’s worthy of following in whatever big handicap she runs in next, there’s a chance that could be the Coral Gold Cup (formally the Hennessy) at Newbury on the final weekend of November.
A race earlier and another mare showed her class as July Flower took the Arkle Trial, beating Be Aware into second place, with the pair clear of Burdett Road in third.
She did this really nicely, stayed on strongly up the hill, and built on her chasing debut, so she’s now two from two over the bigger obstacles.
She’s a best price of 20/1 for the Arkle Chase in March. If she wins that, she emulates Put The Kettle On, from the same yard, who won this trial before landing the 2020 Arkle.
The final one to mention for the future from Saturday’s card came in the opening juvenile hurdle, a trial for the Triumph Hurdle that was won by One Horse Town for Harry Derham.
He was one of the more experienced runners in the field, having three runs and three wins over hurdles to his name, and here he made it four.
After running over the summer, the plan is to take a break, come back here for Cheltenham Trials Day, and, if all goes well, onto the Triumph Hurdle after that.
He’s a best price of 33/1 for the Triumph, with plenty ahead of him that have very exciting profiles.
Sunday November 16
Race favourite Alexei stormed clear to win the Greatwood Hurdle in brilliant fashion on the final day of the meeting for Joe Tizzard, with Brendan Powell doing the steering.
A fortnight earlier, he was good at Ascot and went up 7lb for winning there. But he proved it would take plenty more than 7lb to stop him, with a wonderful performance in a better race.
It’ll be interesting just how much he goes up for this, and where to go next. If you want to think big on him, he’s a best price of 40/1 for the Champion Hurdle.
Notably for the Tizzard team, this horse gave them their third winner at the November meeting from three runners, and on the weekend as a whole, they have five runners and five winners.
Finally, a mention for Harry Cobden, who ended the meeting with a fantastic ride in the closing bumper on Saint Clovis for Thomas Cooper. Clear early in the race, he got a rest into his horse before kicking and going away, a great example of front running from Cobden.
Another fantastic weekend at Cheltenham, I love the November meeting, and now it’s all eyes on the Christmas meeting next month, to close out 2025 at the track.