Betfair Hurdle 2023 Tips, Runners & Prediction for Newbury

At Newbury on Saturday, the feature race is the Grade 3 Betfair Hurdle and it has attracted a good field of 23 runners. 

Recognised as one of the most important handicaps of the season, it has been 20 years since the Irish last won the race and Emmet Mullins will be hoping to change that trend this year as he saddles favourite Filey Bay. 

Betfair Hurdle 2023 Runners 

Glory And Fortune

• Trainer: Tom Lacey 
• Jockey: Stan Sheppard 
• Odds: 18/1
• Form: 1544U3

 

Last year’s winner Glory And Fortune travelled well en route to winning this 12 months ago but since his Champion Hurdle fifth, things have been pretty sour. He would have gone close at Cheltenham back over fences but for falling at the last fence and was then well beaten in the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase over Christmas. 

He is on a bit of a recovery mission at the moment plus he is five-pounds higher than when he won this last year and is also required to carry top-weight this time. I do think this is marginally an easier race than last year, so while he is vulnerable to less exposed horses in the field now that he’s eight, he still has place possibilities. 

Icare Allen

• Trainer: Willie Mullins 
• Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr 
• Odds: 9/1
• Form: 151433

 

Willie Mullins has gone close in this race in the past and I think he has a lively contender in Icare Allen this year, who ran a good race when third on his handicap debut in a large field event at Fairyhouse back in December. He might prefer softer ground but the five-year-old ticks a lot of boxes for the race and couldn’t be in better hands plus his owners like to target this race. 

He won a Grade 3 last February and backed that up with an excellent fourth in the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival behind Vauban. That form has substance with II Etait Temps bolting up in a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival recently and, with more to come, he could be a serious player if getting a good pace to aim at. Big each-way chance. 

Highway One O One 

• Trainer: Chris Gordon
• Jockey: Gavin Sheehan 
• Odds: 22/1
• Form: 12P213

 

Highway One O One resumed winning ways in a competitive handicap at Ascot back in October from the front under a big-weight and was far from disgraced when third to Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day. 

He could only finish 18th of 23 in this race last year off a two-pounds lower mark, so improvement is going to be needed to figure. He has been in better form this time around though, so he could fare better than last year’s placement. 

Hacker Des Places

• Trainer: Paul Nicholls
• Jockey: Angus Cheleda
• Odds: 9/1
• Form: 413121

 

Hacker Des Places has thrived on his racing this season for Paul Nicholls, winning three of his last five starts, and won a strong-looking event on Cheltenham Trials Day last month. He has to carry a five-pound penalty here though and would probably be seen to best effect on a softer surface. 

Nevertheless, it is hard to grumble what the six-year-old has already achieved this season for connections and another personal best could well be on the cards. With Angus claiming his valuable five-pounds, and Paul Nicholls overall record in the race, he could be set to run another big race.  

Tritonic 

• Trainer: Alan King 
• Jockey: Adrian Heskin
• Odds: 33/1
• Form: 514009

 

Tritonic is smart on the Flat and developed into one of the leading juvenile hurdlers a couple of seasons ago for Alan King. He’s back on his last winning mark, which came in the Grade 3 Betfair Exchange Trophy, and will relish the decent ground here. 

He did disappoint at Cheltenham last time though, so he’ll need to bounce back in this race. He is a good horse when everything clicks into place, especially when he gets a good gallop, but has a few questions to answer at the moment. 

No Ordinary Joe

• Trainer: Nicky Henderson 
• Jockey: James Bowen 
• Odds: 11/1
• Form: 4113P1

 

No Ordinary Joe defied a hefty absence when justifying favouritism in a handicap hurdle at Kempton over Christmas and a five-pound rise for that success could prove lenient here. 

A winner of four of his seven starts, he is lightly-raced for his age (seven) and he has proved he can handle a large field given he was third in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021. He is open to plenty more improvement and could go well. 

Faivoir 

• Trainer: Dan Skelton 
• Jockey: Bridget Andrews 
• Odds: 20/1
• Form: 233054

 

Dan Skelton’s Faivoir has a good strike-rate over hurdles and has been given a fair chance by the assessor in this race. He shaped promisingly on his return at Kempton over Christmas when fourth and seems to be versatile in regards to conditions as well. 

His connections have reinstated the cheekpieces and Bridget Andrews is a good rider to have on side, who is booked for the ride. This eight-year-old is no forlorn hope to run well but I suspect he might one a few too good in the latter stages, so he is passed over. 

Aucunrisque

• Trainer: Chris Gordon 
• Jockey: Nick Schofield
• Odds: 16/1
• Form: 141122

 

Chris Gordon’s Aucunrisque has won four of his six starts over hurdles and has continued his good work over fences of late, winning on his chase debut prior to finishing runner-up twice since. His latest one-length second to Boothill in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices' Chase is a solid piece of form as well. 

He is undoubtedly well-treated back over hurdles off 138 considering the horse that beat him last time over fences is rated 145+. The ground won’t be an issue and he doesn’t know how to run a bad race, so he could be set to run another big race. His profile fits perfectly into a race of this nature. 

Filey Bay 

• Trainer: Emmet Mullins
• Jockey: Donnagh Meyler 
• Odds: 7/2
• Form: 562311

 

Filey Bay started out in handicaps on a really low mark but after wins at Doncaster and Wincanton, he has seen his mark raised to 131 as a result. He only won by a length last time and has been all the rage for this race for the past week, so he could be a handicap blot, especially as JP McManus has subsequently snapped him up with a view to this race. He definitely needs improvement though, and I think he is just too short for a race of this calibre. I am happy to take him on the odds.

Onemorefortheroad 

• Trainer: Neil King 
• Jockey: Jack Quinlan 
• Odds: 33/1
• Form: 124348

 

Onemorefortheroad won his only previous visit to this course, which came in a Listed event, and went on to make the frame in four valuable handicaps afterwards, including on his return when fourth at Aintree off a three-pounds higher mark, though that form has been let down since. 

He produced a surprising below-par effort at Ascot last-time-out but seems the type to bounce back and is lower in the handicap than when making the frame in the Imperial Cup, Scottish Champion Hurdle and the Betfair Exchange Trophy, so he has place claims. 

Teddy Blue

• Trainer: Gary Moore 
• Jockey: Jamie Moore 
• Odds: 14/1
• Form: 202131

 

Teddy Blue finally broke his maiden over obstacles when long odds-on at Lingfield late last month despite carrying one of the hurdles with him at one stage. He has a five-pounds penalty here but a strongly-run race will certainly suit and help him settle. 

He will carry a low-weight as Caoilin Quinn offsets five-pounds and the five-year-old has yet to fulfil his potential as well with more to come. I like his profile but he was beaten a long way here on his penultimate start and probably needs more on the figures to come out on top. 

Monviel 

• Trainer: Philip Hobbs
• Jockey: Tom O’Brien 
• Odds: 12/1
• Form: 661181 

 

Philip Hobbs has a solid record in this race, especially with his placed runners, and Monviel could be a big player here. He has won three of his last four starts and absolutely bolted up on his seasonal debut at Ascot in November, winning by eight and a half lengths. 

A 10-pound rise asks more of him here but he is heading the right way, should be suited to the race and cannot be taken lightly, though quicker ground would be an unknown for him. 

Rubaud 

• Trainer: Paul Nicholls 
• Jockey: Harry Cobden 
• Odds: 8/1
• Form: 8112

 

Rubaud was firmly put in his place by Rare Edition on soft at Kempton on Boxing Day but did win his two previous starts and the fact that connections are taking up this option so soon in his career entitles him to the utmost respect. 

I do think his opening mark of 130 might be a bit harsh based on what he has achieved though and needs a lot more to trouble a few of these. He could advance his form to another level but it is hard to see that happening this weekend. 

Restitution 

• Trainer: Alan King 
• Jockey: Alexander Thorne 
• Odds: 40/1
• Form: 142171

 

Restitution won impressively at Doncaster last time by 12-lengths and represents a stable who can never be dismissed in these events. That said, that form isn’t good enough to be considered a player here and he has comfortably been beaten in multiple class four events before that, so it is hard to see him finding a stack of improvement to win this event. He might prove me wrong but he isn’t for me and better value is elsewhere. 

Yorksea 

• Trainer: Gary Moore
• Jockey: Niall Houlihan
• Odds: 28/1
• Form: 32141

 

Yorksea deservedly got off the mark at the third time of asking over hurdles in 2021 and even ran well when third behind Knight Salute in a Grade 2 which is good form in the context of this assignment. He was only fourth behind First Street and stablemate Teddy Blue on his seasonal debut. 

He improved on that to win easily at Fontwell next time and sneaks into this off a really handy weight. He has more to offer, his rider has already bagged a Grade 1 win this season and his stable are amongst the winners of late, so this five-year-old is an outsider to consider. 

Glorious Zoff 

• Trainer: Fergal O’Brien 
• Jockey: Connor Brace 
• Odds: 80/1
• Form: 230034 

 

Glorious Zoff hasn’t been seen over hurdles since September 2021 and his latest return on the Flat was hardly encouraging either. He is tongue-tied for the first time and could outrun his odds but he has a really tough task on his hands and can only be best watched until he starts showing some positive signs again. 

Deere Mark

• Trainer: Sam Thomas 
• Jockey: Charlie Deutsch
• Odds: 20/1
• Form: 312811

 

Deere Mark was highly tried early in the season and took advantage of the drop in class to score at Hereford before following up on handicap debut at Kempton when last spotted. The form hasn’t worked out but a six-pounds rise seems fair.

He won that race easily and he looks capable of better going forward. This is a deep race though and he will need a new personal best to trouble some of these. That is possible though, especially off such a low weight, so he could be thereabouts here. 

Master Chewy 

• Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies 
• Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies 
• Odds: 14/1
• Form: 243F22 

 

Master Chewy ran a good race on his hurdles debut at Chepstow when third and would have won smoothly at Ascot next time but for falling at the last hurdle with the race at his mercy. He has since been beaten twice though, so he will need more in this company. 

His owners and trainer went close in this last season with I Like To Move It though, and he is their only runner in this year’s field. His mark of 124 is workable and he will be in receipt of weight from the rest of the runners. He could outrun his double-figure odds. 

Betfair Hurdle Tips & Prediction

Not the strongest renewals of the Betfair Hurdle by any means but it is still a good race to tackle from a punting perspective and I am going to play three against the field here, who look a shade overpriced at the initial odds. 

The favourite Filey Bay will probably rate higher in due course and is respected but his odds are too skinny, the Irish have predominantly struggled to win this and he’s worth opposing despite knowing he could win this impressively and buck that trend if his backers are proved correct. 

He isn’t the only well-treated horse in the field though, and preference instead goes to ICARE ALLEN (best price 9/1) who ran a tidy race on his handicap debut last time and the form of his Triumph Hurdle fourth has a lot of substance. He is an appealing each-way bet here. 

Gary Moore’s YORKSEA (best price 25/1) also merits each-way consideration, whose form looks good enough to see him run well in this race. He would have finished closer on his return without being badly hampered but made amends at Fontwell when last seen. 

I think he should be a lot shorter than his current odds, so he could outrun his odds with Niall Houlihan maintained to ride who claims three-pounds. 

I tipped GLORY AND FORTUNE (best price 16/1) to win this last year at big odds and while he is tasked with carrying top-weight from a five-pounds higher mark this year, he has a lot of class and the way he travelled into this when he won 12 months ago suggests he could make a bold bid to defend his title. 

All three are advised each-way, with plenty of bookmakers paying six places. Good luck!