Tanya Stevenson's Tips For Saturday And Sunday At Cheltenham's November Meeting

Tanya Stevenson's Selections For Saturday/Sunday

• Selection 1: 14:20 Cheltenham (Sat) - Conyers Hill - (Each-Way Nap)
• Selection 2: 14:20 Cheltenham (Sun) - Cabhfuilfungi
• Selection 3: 15:30 Cheltenham (Sun) - Laafi - (NB)
• Selection 4: 15:30 Cheltenham (Sun) - King William Rufus - (Each-Way)

Sean Bowen is a phenomenon, which is a good thing as his ride on Wade Out was nothing short of miraculous. The horse should get some credit too and will be winning some really nice races.

There is an inspection at Cheltenham on Saturday morning (7.30am), so let’s hope the course can survive everything that Storm Claudia throws at it. 

If the meeting goes ahead, then I am looking forward to the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 1: Cheltenham 14:20 (Sat) - Conyers Hill (Each-Way Nap)

The selection is Conyers Hill who should cope with his metaphorical waders as he has placed on heavy ground before. 

The beauty of him is that he has run at the course before as well, and his trainer Paul Nolan has also enjoyed success at the November meeting if you are old enough to remember.  

He landed the Greatwood Hurdle in 2004 with Accordion Etoile, who came back the following year to win the Grade 2 Novice Chase.  

Three years later, Nolan won the 2008 Cross Country Chase at the November meeting with Dix Villez. Patience is a virtue, and the 17-year wait could be worth it.  

Counting against a few at the top of the market is that only two of the last 10 winners were making their seasonal debuts. Jagwar, Vincenzo and Panic Attack have yet to run.

There has only been one winning favourite in the last 10 years, with nine of the last 11 winners being fourth or worse in the betting. 

At this stage Conyers Hill is about eighth or ninth on betting sites.

Conyers Hill was starting to make a really strong run when he was forced wide at the second and third last in the Grand Annual.  

He then went on to Fairyhouse in a Listed Chase and ran a cracking second. On his first start he had to concede lumps of weight to a good yardstick in Crowsatedappletart, but travelled easily until he tired in the last furlong. He runs over shorter in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 2: Cheltenham 14:20 (Sun) - Cabhfuilfungi

Saturday should be dry all day which gives hope to Sunday.  

Cabhfuilfungi has a solid record on heavy and looks a decent prospect at 11/2 with some bookmakers.

He has raced six times over the bigger obstacles and the only time he was out of the first two he was badly hampered by a faller in front of him.  

We last saw him finish second at Bangor to the handy Casa No Mento.  

Kerry Lee has had a very quiet start to this season, but like Venetia Williams you associate Kerry’s horses to start running better once the rain starts to fall.  

I was lucky enough to bump into Kerry’s brother Tom Lee earlier this week and he was very hopeful for a big run providing the rain falls.

Tanya Stevenson Panel Tip 3: Cheltenham 15:30 (Sun) - Laafi (NB)/King William Rufus (Each-Way)

The Greatwood Hurdle is the big race on Sunday, so it's no surprise to see in-form trainer Dan Skelton with a horse at the head of the market with Mirabad. 

That said, I am hoping to find some value for this race and have a couple of selections.

Only seven favourites have won the Greatwood since 1990, which does not bode well for Mirabad.  

Here are some stats for the Greatwood: Five top weights have won since 2000 and only five winners since 1990 have been older than six. Eight of the last 10 winners of the Greatwood had no more than one run prior to the race that current season.

At massive each-way value, I'm going for ‘golden oldie’ King William Rufus, who can be backed at 33/1 at the time of writing.

He runs so much better against superior rivals and kept on really well despite being headed at the October meeting. 

He is a proper big chasing type, yet excels over hurdles. He will likely be played two out and then it's scream at the television hoping he lasts home.

If there is one horse to be very wary of it’s 28/1 shot Laafi, who ran up against Anzadam and Beacon Edge in a Grade 3 Hurdle on heavy in January.

He was trained by William Haggas on the flat and reached a fair mark of 98.  

He is totally unexposed and could simply be too good for his rivals in a handicap.