'His ante-post odds could plummet on Trials day' - early fancies for the novice hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival

Entries for the novice hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival were revealed on Tuesday and Trials day at Cheltenham and the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown will provide plenty of pointers to those races in the next fortnight. Here we provide an ante-post selection for the four races . . .

Farren Glory

Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, 1.30 Cheltenham, March 12

Odds: 12-1

JP McManus holds a strong hand in this year's Supreme with Mystical Power and Jeriko Du Reponet prominent in the ante-post markets. However, both look like works in progress and the cauldron of Cheltenham will be a huge test given their inexperience.

Therefore it might prove wise to side with something a little more streetwise and, at a double-figure price, Farren Glory fits the bill.

The son of Fame And Glory was well beaten when a 33-1 chance for a Fairyhouse Grade 2 on his hurdles debut back in April, but he clearly learned plenty from that initial experience and kicked off this campaign with wins in a maiden hurdle at Clonmel and the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle back at Fairyhouse, a race won by Marine Nationale en route to Supreme glory last season.

Farren Glory: live player in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle

Farren Glory was sent off favourite for last month's inaugural Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree and, after travelling strongly throughout, he had just moved into the lead when crashing out at the second-last hurdle.

His Supreme entry suggests that he is none the worse for that spill and trainer Gordon Elliott has a solid recent record in the festival curtain-raiser. Labaik caused a 25-1 upset in 2017 and since then Elliott has had places with Mengli Khan and Abacadabras.  

Farren Glory13:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Gordon Elliott

Gidleigh Park

Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle, 1.30 Cheltenham, March 13

Odds: 10-1

You have to go back to Willoughby Court in 2017 for the last British-trained winner of the Baring Bingham, but that losing run could soon be broken as Gidleigh Park has looked like a potential top-notcher in his two hurdles starts.

Having justified odds of 1-2 on his hurdling debut at Exeter in November, Gidleigh Park was sent off the even-money favourite for a 2m4½f novice hurdle at Newbury. That looked a strong race, with well-touted horses from Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls among the opposition, yet Gidleigh Park proved far superior to his rivals.

Initially he too a keen hold initially under rider Jonathan Burke, but once he asked his mount the question, Gidleigh Park was instant in his reply and the pair pulled clear for an impressive nine-length success.

Harry Fry's six-year-old runs in the 2m4½f Grade 2 novice hurdle on Cheltenham's Trials day card this Saturday and a big performance there will no doubt see his odds for the Baring Bingham plummet.

Gidleigh Park13:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Harry Fry

Sir Gino

JCB Triumph Hurdle, 1.30 Cheltenham, March 15

Odds: 6-1

The Triumph Hurdle trial at Cheltenham on Saturday will provide the biggest pointer yet to the final-day opener and it would be no surprise to see Sir Gino become the new Triumph favourite after taking on Burdett Road for the first time.

Sir Gino needs to improve his jumping from his British debut win at Kempton for Nicky Henderson, but he looks a really smart prospect who should only improve with time and experience.

Nicky Henderson: trainer of Sir GinoCredit: Edward Whitaker

He boasts a Listed hurdle win over fellow Triumph entry Salvator Mundi – also now owned by the Donnellys and trained by Willie Mullins – in France last year and was described as a “proper horse” by De Boinville following his victory last month.

Henderson has similarly given high praise to Sir Gino and the Seven Barrows trainer knows exactly what is required in the Triumph Hurdle, having landed the race a record seven times, most recently with Pentland Hills in 2019.

Sir Gino13:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: Nicky Henderson

I Will Be Baie

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, 2.50 Cheltenham, March 15

Odds: 25-1

It has paid to look beyond the market principals in the Albert Bartlett in recent years and I Will Be Baie stands out as an interesting contender at a double-figure price.

The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old is a point-to-point winner and ran to a good level in three bumper starts between June and September, including a comfortable success at the Galway festival.

He readily brushed aside odds-on favourite and subsequent winner My Trump Card on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day, posting a solid RPR figure, and that heavy-ground victory over 2m4½f, combined with his point-to-point success, suggests 3m is definitely within his compass.

I Will Be Baie was a £150,000 buy from Colin Bowe following his point-to-point success and has gone off no bigger than 11-8 in his four starts, which is an indication of the regard he is held in.

He is versatile regarding ground and has entries in Grade 1 novice hurdles over 2m and 2m6f at the Dublin Racing Festival next week. If running and faring well in the latter, he will be a good deal shorter for the Albert Bartlett and the Baring Bingham, in which he is also entered.

I Will Be Baie14:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

Read more . . .

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