The bets have been pouring in for Tullyhill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle since Ballyburn was re-routed to Wednesday’s opener.
The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival, traditionally accompanied by the Cheltenham roar. Unsurprisingly, Willie Mullins is the leading trainer in the race with seven wins, while Ruby Walsh is the leading jockey with six wins.
However, Nicky Henderson has won the race three times in recent years with three exceptional horses; Altior (2016), Shishkin (2020) and Constitution Hill (2022). Indeed, Henderson’s rivalry has meant that he and Mullins have accounted for eight of the last 11 winners.
Last year, Marine Nationale bucked that trend for Barry Connell, defeating four Mullins horses in a race where Ireland had the first eight horses home.
Click here for Architect Tips’ Supreme Novices Hurdle preview.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Betting
| Horse | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Tullyhill | 21.77 |
| Slade Steel | 16.04 |
| Mystical Power | 15.92 |
| Firefox | 10.61 |
| Jeriko Du Reponet | 9.64 |
| Mistergif | 7.94 |
Having looked good in winning his last couple of starts over hurdles, Tullyhill was quickly established as the favourite once Ballyburn's chosen route was confirmed on Sunday morning.
Tullyhill began his hurdles campaign with a disappointing second at Punchestown, having been sent off as a 1/8 favourite, but has improved the last two times to win by seven and nine lengths.
It’s no surprise to see that he has taken more than 20% of the bets for the Festival opener since declarations for Tuesday’s racing were made on Sunday morning.
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