Four to note from the festival novice hurdles, including a 100-1 Supreme shot

Our experts with four interesting types among Tuesday's Cheltenham Festival novice hurdle entries . . .

Supreme, Ballymore, Albert Bartlett and Triumph: potential runners and a long-range shout

Jpr One

Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

The presence of Jpr One, one of only two horses entered for a festival novice hurdle by Colin Tizzard, in the Supreme and Ballymore is interesting.

He has looked a useful sort in three starts and is arguably unlucky not to retain his unbeaten record. Jpr One travelled all over the field before being nabbed by a neck to a much more battle-hardened horse at Cheltenham on his second run.

His mark of 130 looks on the generous side and unsurprisingly he features prominently in the Betfair Hurdle market next month.

The five-year-old is generally available at 10-1 for the Betfair and he could be the latest example of a horse capturing the major Newbury handicap before stepping up to Grade 1 company.

Four of the last five winners of the Betfair have charted a similar path, with Soaring Glory, Al Dancer, Kalashnikov and Ballyandy going on to run in that season's Supreme.

Three of those four finished in the first four at the festival too, so it has proved a useful trial.

While Jpr One needs to progress to reach the top level, there might be much improvement around the corner for a resurgent Tizzard team who have already eclipsed their tally of winners from last season (39-37) despite saddling 146 fewer runners.
Robbie Wilders, tipster

Gerri Colombe

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle andAlbert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

Gordon Elliott will not be short of ammunition in the Albert Bartlett. The likes of Ginto, Hollow Games and Minella Crooner are all in the mix but come Friday, March 18 the still unbeaten Gerri Colombe could well be stable first string.

On his rules debut at Fairyhouse 12 months ago, he was one of the most impressive bumper winners of the entire season. His hurdling campaign began in similar style when thrashing a subsequent winner at Down Royal on Boxing Day and more of the same was expected at Thurles on Sunday.

However, on a tight track with little give underfoot this race could hardly have been less suitable. A just workmanlike success confirmed both his enviable resolution and that he is all about stamina. Three miles on Cheltenham's more galloping New course should bring out the best in him.
James Norris, handicapper

Invictus Smart

Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Triumph Hurdle

The appearance of the Neil Mullholland-trained Invictus Smart, along with fellow newly-recruited French stablemate Icone D'Aubrelle, made for interesting reading among the 61 entries for the Supreme, especially given they are in the Gold Cup-winnings silks of Robert Waley-Cohen.

Invictus Smart made a winning start over hurdles in France in November but is yet to appear on a British racecourse, as is Icone D'Aubrelle, so the decision to potentially pitch both into Grade 1 company is noteworthy.

The exploits of former Cheltenham chairman Waley-Cohen’s horses have waned somewhat since Long Run’s heroics, although he has a 36 per cent strike-rate when combining with Mullholland and at 100-1 apiece it will be intriguing to see whether either of the pair take their place in March.
Charlie Huggins, reporter

A Different Kind

Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

The presence of a horse with a whole bunch of 1s next to their name is guaranteed to draw the eye, and could A Different Kind have an outside chance of providing the north with a festival success story for a resurgent Donald McCain?

This former Irish point-to-pointer began his season with two effortless victories in bumpers before progressing serenely to hurdles, racking up three straight victories in the north, including one over the Venetia Williams-trained Green Book, who was sent off the joint-favourite for the Lanzarote before being badly hampered early on.

A Different Kind is in both the Supreme and Ballymore, but the way he ground down Green Book at Haydock and then bolted up on his next start at Catterick when stepped up four furlongs suggests the Wednesday opener would be the port of call.

The five-year-old is entered in the trial for that race at Cheltenham on Saturday and a good performance there against the likes of Hillcrest and Balco Coastal may determine whether McCain and champion jockey Brian Hughes head south with a live chance.
Sam Hendry, reporter

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