'I think he'll run well at a price' - analysis and trainer quotes for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Theoretically the Boodles should be the trickiest handicap of the entire festival to unravel as it is confined to four-year-olds whose hurdling careers are in their infancy.

With the exception of those embarking on their second vocation having begun life on the Flat, a significant proportion of the runners have raced only three times to qualify for a mark. That many of these youngsters are being judged partially on French form makes the task of identifying the winner even trickier. 

Punters are always at risk of tying themselves in knots in handicaps at the festival. A systematic approach to tackling the Boodles, indeed one that has paid handsome dividends in recent seasons, is to merely follow those who ran in the rated hurdle at Naas on February 10. 

That juvenile contest has emerged as a superb trial. Among the 13 horses to contest it en route to running at Cheltenham are four festival winners, two seconds and a fourth. A £1 win bet on each would have yielded a £30 profit.

For exotics players, the 2019 running brought up a £60.30 Tote Exacta return with 7-2 favourite Band Of Outlaws fending off 14-1 Coko Beach. Four years later the same bet landed with 18-1 Jazzy Matty edging out 6-1 Byker to nail a £169.50 dividend. 

This season’s Naas race demands close inspection, with Eagle Fang, Bright Legend and Nara representing that formline. While Eagle Fang ran out a dominant winner, fourth-home Nara may be the one to take from it for JP McManus. The prolific owner achieved the Naas-Cheltenham double in 2020 and 2022 with Aramax and Brazil.

Carrying a 7lb penalty a month ago, Nara travelled well up to a point before tiring – it smacked of a Boodles prep run. The worth of her Listed strike at Auteuil for former connections three starts back is hard to gauge, and we cannot be certain she is well treated for her handicap debut. For McManus’s other hope, the opposite is true. 

The handicapper has eased Milan Tino 10lb from his French mark, and he is among only three in the Boodles field with course experience. An Bradan Feasa and Balboa are the others. With formlines linking to leading four-year-olds Sir Gino and Burdett Road, Milan Tino is about as solid as lightly raced juveniles come in big-field festival handicaps.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

RP Recommends: how to bet on the Boodles

By Tom Park, audience editor

bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power and Sky Bet are going six places, but the first three of those are BOG so look to place your bets with them. Milan Tino and Palamon are the two I'll be backing with that concession.

• RP Recommends: bet365

O'Brien eyeing Mornin glory

Any juvenile trained by Joseph O'Brien at the spring festivals tends to lure punters in, and Lark In The Mornin is the latest intriguing project from Owning Hill.

Although he was widely credited with preparing Ivanovich Gorbatov prior to his victory in the 2016 Triumph Hurdle, O'Brien's maiden festival success came three years later in this race when JJ Slevin steered Band Of Outlaws to a decisive victory. The same jockey will seek to repeat the trick on board the Sean and Bernardine Mulryan-owned Lark In The Mornin this year.

Having shown useful form in two starts on the Flat, the four-year-old took to hurdles in good fashion when runner-up to Mighty Bandit at Punchestown, before finishing sixth in a competitive maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Another encouraging effort back at the scene of his hurdling debut followed in January, where he seemed to be making strong late headway on winner Highwind until a final-flight error curbed his momentum.

A mark of 122 doesn't seem too burdensome on his handicap debut, while the prospect of less testing ground could elicit a bit more improvement out of Lark In The Mornin in a race in which the Irish have established a dominance in recent times, having landed the last six editions.

O'Brien, who also saddles the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Harsh, said: "Lark In The Mornin is in good form and we're happy with him, but I wouldn't like to see any more rain. Harsh won't mind the ground and the plan has always been to come here."

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Liari
He’s won three nice races but they’ve all been on flat tracks, so that’s in the back of my mind going to Cheltenham. He’s done nothing wrong, but I don’t know if the mark he’s got is good, bad or indifferent. What I would say is that we’ve won this race before with horses around that mark and he’s up there with those horses in terms of ability.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Ndaawi and Mordor
Ndaawi won nicely at Naas and Jack [Kennedy, rider] was very impressed. He jumps well and will hopefully be in the mix. Mordor needs to step up on his last few starts to land a blow.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Batman Girac, Miss Manzor and Karia Des Blaises
The hood could improve Batman Girac. He had a very disappointing run going right-handed at Fairyhouse on his first start for us but was better in Leopardstown going left-handed. He has an each-way chance. Miss Manzor and Karia Des Blaises both disappointed at Leopardstown over Christmas and then we changed tactics and went to Fairyhouse, where they were first and second in a lower-class race. Whether that form is good enough for this contest we won’t find out until the day.

Noel George, joint-trainer of Milan Tino
He's in great form and we couldn't have him in any better shape. He knows the track well and will hopefully put in a good showing. You never quite know, but the handicapper seems to have given him a chance.

Jack Jones, trainer of An Bradan Feasa
He’s in good form and is working and schooling well. He’s going back to a track where he’s run well before and we hope he can show the form of his previous Cheltenham runs and put Musselburgh last time behind him.

Martin Brassil, trainer of Ose Partir
He seems well in himself and if he settles in the early stages the race should suit. He should get the strong early gallop he needs.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Nara
She's nice and has been working well.

Seamus Mullins, trainer of Balboa
He’s tough and has good form on the track in weight-for-age races. The more rain the better for him and although he’s a big price he’ll run well.

Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Les Loyautes
It looks as if the handicapper has treated her fairly enough and this is her first run for us since coming over from France. We're pitching her in at the deep end a bit, but she could be anything.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Roaring Legend
He’s in good form and his first two runs read well. His run at Market Rasen last time was disappointing, but he’s been freshened up since then. A fast-run race will suit, and hopefully he’s got an each-way chance.

Denis Hogan, trainer of Bright Legend
We were a little worried he wouldn't make the cut, but he's at the right end of the weights so we're looking forward to it now. He ran a nice race at Naas when second to Eagle Fang and he has come forward from that. He's a stayer and he'll appreciate the soft ground. Daniel King takes 3lb off here that he can't claim in Ireland.

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Teorie
He did well to win at Catterick first time and bounced back to run well against older horses last time having been beaten at Musselburgh in between. Elham Valley was third in this race for us in 2021 and this fella would have more gears, so I think he'll run well at a price.

Cheltenham Tuesday previews:

1.30: Tullyhill 'the finished article' says Willie Mullins as he prepares assault on wide-open Supreme 

2.10: 'We put our heads together and came up with the Arkle' - Gaelic Warrior leads Closutton charge 

2.50: 'He looks well handicapped now' - who are the dangers to Ultima favourite Meetingofthewaters? 

3.30: State Man a certainty for many - but Nicky Henderson 'quite optimistic' his super-sub can lay down a challenge 

4.10: Will 'banker of the week' Lossiemouth handle the step up in trip and land another festival success? 

5.30: 'I just thought he was made for this' - National Hunt Chase carries extra significance for Willie Mullins 

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