Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

We now have the early entries for the novice hurdles at Cheltenham 2024 - the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle - and the Triumph Hurdle.

Cheltenham Festival 2024 Entries

There are 62 early entries for the Festival curtain raiser, featuring ante-post favourites Mystical Power, Jeriko Du Reponet (his only entry despite some suggestions he would go up in trip) and Ballyburn.

84 names have been entered for the Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle (formerly the Ballymore), once again featuring Ballyburn as Willie Mullins unsurprisingly keeps options open for the six-year-old.

Second and third favourites for the Ballymore are Readin Tommy Wrong and Ile Atlantique, who finished 1-2 in this month's Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle.

Meanwhile, there are 62 entries for the Albert Bartlett (including ante-post market leader High Class Hero) and 44 for the Triumph Hurdle - the opening race of the final day the Cheltenham Festival. 

The Triumph market is headed by Burdett Road, among 10 entered in a bumper Unibet Hurdle on Cheltenham Trials Day alongside Mares' Hurdle top two Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau.

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 2024 Odds

Supreme Novices' Hurdle Best Odds Worst Odds
Mystical Power 4/1 3/1
Jeriko Du Reponet 5/1 7/2
Ballyburn 7/1 4/1
Caldwell Potter 12/1 10/1
Farren Glory 14/1 10/1

 

This Week's Road to Cheltenham Preview

With last weekend’s action at both Haydock and Ascot called off due to frozen ground, racing fans will be chomping at the bit to experience this weekend’s action which includes both Cheltenham Trials Day and Doncaster’s Sky Bet meeting. 

As was the case last year, Cheltenham’s Trials Day card will feature Ascot’s Grade 1 Clarence House Chase whilst two Grade 2’s are moved to Doncaster’s fixture - Haydock’s Rossington Novices’ Hurdle and Ascot’s Mares’ Warfield Hurdle. 

With the meeting often throwing up horses that go on to win at the Cheltenham Festival, exemplified last year by Stage Star, punters will need to have their notebooks out to capture the clues from the final fixture at Prestbury Park prior to March’s Festival.

Which Cheltenham Festival entries will we get this week? 

This week entries are revealed for the three novice hurdles (Supreme, Ballymore & Albert Bartlett), as well as the Triumph Hurdle. 

Although Ballyburn was beaten on debut over 2 miles, and quickly stepped up to 2m 4f, recent talk has touted him to be redirected to Tuesday’s opener, so it will be informative to see whether his entries back up such talk especially after stablemate Mystical Power jumped to the head of the Supreme market after his easy win in Punchestown’s Moscow Flyer. 

It will also be interesting to see whether Challow hurdle winner, Captain Teague, is given an entry in the Baring Bingham (formerly the Ballymore). Although Paul Nicholls has targeted that race with recent Challow winners Bravemansgame and Hermes Allen, Captain Teague looked every inch a stayer in deep ground and the Albert Bartlett looks more suitable. 

With trainer James Owen suggesting Burdett Road could be given a tilt at Saturday’s Unibet Hurdle instead of the Grade 2 juvenile race just an hour or so earlier, it will be fascinating to see whether he’s given an entry outside of juvenile company in either the Supreme or the Ballymore. 

Cheltenham Festival 2024 Tips 

Having already put up Slade Steel for the Ballymore in week one of this series, it may seem wasteful to make another selection in the race. However, with Slade Steel as big as 14/1, there is no harm in including another one at a price. 

That “one” is in the form of Neil King’s LOOKAWAY who can be backed at 33/1 on Betfair. Although he’s been beaten twice this season already, it may seem surprising to put him up for one of the most competitive novice races of the year, yet I believe he has shown the form worthy of a genuine contender and would be far shorter in my book. 

After a facile success at Worcester on seasonal debut, he then won the rearranged Sharp novices hurdle in October, beating subsequent Grade 2 winner Kamsinas by 2½ lengths. He ventured into open company next time out when contesting November’s Greatwood hurdle, and ran a very promising 2nd. 

That form has worked out well with 3rd placed Luccia winning the Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot, 4th placed Sonigino winning on his next start, 5th placed Nemean Lion finishing 2nd in the Lanzarote next time out and even 6th placed Go Dante winning at Cheltenham’s November meeting. 

Lookaway’s two worst performances have come on soft ground, and although King was adamant it wouldn’t be a problem, that is not to say that the better ground in March won’t suit better. On top of that, both the Sharp and Greatwood were at Cheltenham itself, calming any anxieties about course suitability. 

Lookaway himself boosted the form when 2nd in the Grade 1 Challow at Newbury over Christmas. With a finishing speed of 92.29% on rain softened ground, the race rewarded stamina reserves, something which Lookaway - a winner over 2 miles on good ground in October - didn’t have in abundance. 

Yet, as commonly advertised, the Baring Bingham seems to be the race that rewards speed more than it’s shorter counterpart, the Supreme. Indeed, Champion hurdle hopeful Impaire Et Passe recorded a 107.48% finishing speed in last year’s race, nearly 5% higher than Marine Nationale’s 102.97%. 

This idea is no better exemplified than when Willie Mullins sent his future Champion Hurdle winner, Faugheen, to the Baring Bingham and his future King George runner-up, Vautour, to the Supreme. At a best priced 33/1 on Betfair, Lookaway should be backed each-way in what looks an open race. 

This is the fourth of 10 Road to Cheltenham round-ups running each Monday from 1st January until 4th March, featuring ante-post tips every week! 

See below for Jamie’s ante-post tips so far in the series, as well as Architect Tips’ ante-post previews for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Stayers’ Hurdle and Arkle Chase.

Architect Tips Jamie Radford
Cheltenham Gold Cup Tips Road to Cheltenham Week 1 Tips
Stayers' Hurdle Tips Road to Cheltenham Week 2 Tips
Arkle Chase Tips Road to Cheltenham Week 3 Tips

 

This Week’s Cheltenham Ante-Post Tips 

  • Lookaway @ 33/1 (1pt Each-Way) - Baring Bingham Novices Hurdle