Cheltenham Festival 2015 race preview: Skybet Supreme Novices' Hurdle

Cheltenham Festival 2015: Skybet Supreme Novices' Hurdle

Top 10 horse races by betting turnover - January to June 2014

The top ten races by betting turnover in the first six months of 2014 were as follows:

1. Crabbie's Grand National
2. Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup
3. Investec Derby
4. Ladbrokes World Hurdle
5. Stan James Champion Hurdle
6. Coral Scottish Grand National
7. Qipco 2000 Guineas
8. Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
9. BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase
10. Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle


Source: HBLB

Cheltenham Festival 2014: Day One Selections

The selections for the first day of the Cheltenham Festival 2014:

Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle:
Wicklow Brave, Gilgamboa

Racing Post Arkle Chase:
Rock On Ruby

Baylis & Harding Handicap Chase:
Wrong Turn

Stan James Champion Hurdle:
Our Conor

OLBG Mares' Hurdle:
L'unique (each-way)

Terry Biddlecombe National Hunt Chase:
Shotgun Paddy

Rewards4Racing Novices' Handicap Chase:
Art of Logistics

This is the battle plan before the action begins. But other last minute, spur of the moment bets are a guarantee!

Festival race preview: Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

Paul Nicholls’ Irving joined Vautour (Willie Mullins) at the head of the betting for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with some bookmakers after his five-length win in the Sky Bet Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday (22 February).

Jockey Nick Scholfield said afterwards that Irving would be “much better on better ground” (it was soft at Kempton).

First Mohican (Alan King) had looked good in a novices’ hurdle event at Doncaster earlier this month but finished 13 lengths behind Irving in the Dovecote. He didn’t build upon his performance at Doncaster and did not jump fluently.

Vautour is unbeaten in three races this season and was last seen winning the Deloitte Novices’ Hurdle at Leopardstown at the start of February. He beat The Tullow Tank that day by three lengths but the Deloitte runner-up seems unlikely to take part in the Cheltenham Festival opener.

Another of Mullins’ entries is Wicklow Brave, who has won both of his starts over hurdles. His most recent win was in a listed novices’ hurdle at Punchestown (2 February). The runner-up that day was Lieutenant Colonel (4.25 lengths), who was also beaten by Vautour (5.5 lengths) at Navan last December.

Favourites do not have a good recent record in the race. The last favourite to win was Brave Inca (7/2) in 2004 and last year’s winner Champagne Fever (5/1) was the shortest-priced SP winner since Brave Inca.