Betfair Hurdle: who heads the betting for Saturday's big race at Newbury?

Saturday's big race is the Betfair Hurdle (3.35) at Newbury. The valuable handicap hurdle is run over a fast and furious two miles and is one of the highlights of the calendar between the Christmas and spring festivals. What does the market make of the field at this point?

The favourites

Broomfield Burg

Odds: 5-1 generally

Novice hurdlers have a tremendous record in the Betfair Hurdle and they dominate the market for this year's race at this early stage.

Broomfield Burg, trained by Nicky Henderson for JP McManus, was an effortless winner at Kempton on Boxing Day having finished a close second in a Cheltenham handicap two weeks previously.

He competes off a very workable mark of 134 and these same connections won this race with three-time Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent Or Yours in 2013.

Jpr One

Odds: 5-1 generally

After a difficult 2020-21 campaign, trainer Colin Tizzard has already surpassed his tally of winners from last season and he has a leading chance of bagging this valuable prize with the unexposed Jpr One.

Jpr One: joint-favourite for Saturday's Betfair HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

He beat a couple of promising sorts on his debut at Exeter and was a narrow runner-up on good ground at Cheltenham in December. He made a successful step up in trip when scoring at Taunton last month and dropping back to two miles here should not be an issue. Jpr One looks the ideal type to flourish at Newbury.

Knappers Hill

Odds: 5-1 generally

Were it not for a defeat to Jonbon, the Paul Nicholls-trained Knappers Hill may have been heading into this defending an unbeaten record.

The six-year-old won the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree last April and is another highly progressive novice hurdler who has the potential to shine here.

Leading contenders

Soaring Glory

Odds: 7-1 generally

There has not been a back-to-back winner of this race since Rosyth won the first two runnings in 1963 and 1964, so Soaring Glory has a fair weight of history to overcome if he is to repeat last year's heroics.

Soaring Glory: three-length winner last seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

He undoubtedly has the class, having finished just two and a half lengths behind Epatante in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle, but whether he can strike off a mark of 147 – a stone more than last year – is another question.

Jetoile

Odds: 8-1 generally

Another novice, the star of Ryan Potter's small yard recorded two easy wins at Chepstow and Leicester before having the misfortune of bumping into Constitution Hill in the Tolworth.

Potter has been enjoying a breakthrough season and victory here would be a welcome fillip for the underdog.

I Like To Move It

Odds: 8-1 generally

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has an excellent recent record in this race having won it three times since 2014 and he has another leading chance with this five-year-old novice.

He was over eight lengths behind Knappers Hill in the Kennel Gate last time, but had looked an exciting prospect beforehand when striking twice at Cheltenham and it would be no surprise to see him bounce back to form here.

Metier

Odds: 8-1 generally

The winner of last year's Tolworth was disappointing when seen as Britain's leading contender for the Supreme and, after making a so-so start to this campaign, bounced back in spectacular style when landing a huge pot on the first day of Lingfield's inaugural Winter Million meeting.

That win came on his favoured heavy ground, but conditions at Newbury on Saturday are not expected to be anywhere near as testing.

Other notable fancies

Boothill

Odds: 10-1

The seven-year-old is very lightly raced for his age so surely has plenty of improvement in him, although he has been a beaten favourite on his last two starts. The second of those defeats came over fences so the return to hurdles may help.

Tritonic: impressive winner at Ascot in DecemberCredit: Edward Whitaker

Tritonic

Odds: 12-1

Landed the valuable Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot in December, before finishing fourth when attempting to back that up in the Christmas Hurdle eight days later. Is as short as 8-1 with some bookmakers so clearly has his supporters.

First Street

Odds: 14-1

Had wind surgery after disappointing in the Persian War at Chepstow in October, and the benefits of that were plain to see when he ran away with a handicap hurdle at Kempton last month. That should give him a strong chance here, albeit the handicapper has raised him 9lb.

Verdict

Fifty Ball

After not taking to chasing in three starts this season, Fifty Ball will almost certainly benefit from a return to hurdling. He was a progressive novice last season and posted a career-best RPR when finishing second to Soaring Glory in last year's Betfair Hurdle off a mark of 131, a race that has worked out extremely well.

He competes off the same mark 12 months on and this is just his seventh run over hurdles, so further improvement is more than plausible. Gary Moore has a good record in the race, winning it on three occasions, and his stable has been on the hot list in recent weeks, which further cements his claims.
Owen Goulding, tipster

Betfair Hurdle (3.35), Newbury, Saturday

Sponsors: 5 Jpr One, Broomfield Burg, Knappers Hill, 6 Soaring Glory, 8 Jetoile, I Like To Move It, Metier, 9 Tritonic, 10 Boothill, 12 bar

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