Ballymore Novices' Hurdle betting

The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle is a Grade 1 race for novices over 2m5f at the Cheltenham Festival. It’s the opening race on the second day of the meeting, traditionally known as Ladies Day.

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle odds feature some of the most exciting young National Hunt horses in Britain and Ireland. Notable previous winners of the Ballymore include Istabraq (1997), Hardy Eustace (2003), The New One (2013) and Faugheen (2014).

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle betting tips

Most recent Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle winners had raced within 60 days of the Cheltenham Festival. Many of them had won last time out and almost all had been at least placed on their most recent outing.

Very few had previous form at Cheltenham, but most Ballymore winners had won over 2m4f or further.

Most recent winners of the Ballymore had an official rating of 146 or higher. Previous winning form in a Graded race is another key factor to look for when assessing your Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle tips. Irish-bred horses have an excellent record in the Ballymore.

Irish-trained runners have dominated this race in recent seasons. Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh teamed up successfully for a fourth time in the race with Yorkhill in 2016. They had previously won with Fiveforthree (2008), Mikael D’Haguenet (2009) and Faugheen (2014).

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle betting trends

Favourites have a mixed record in this race, although there have not been many shock results in recent times. Samcro was a very strong Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle tip in 2018 and won as the 8/11 favourite. Mikael D’Haguenet (2009) and Simonsig (2012) were also well backed winners at 5/2 and 2/1 respectively.

The New One (2013) and Yorkhill (2016) were second favourites. Fiveforthree (2008), Peddlers Cross (2010), First Lieutenant (2011) and Windsor Park (2015) were all in the first three in the betting.

Willoughby Court sprang a 14/1 surprise in 2017, trained by Ben Pauling and ridden by David Bass.

Ages five and six have dominated this race in recent seasons. French Holly (1998) was the oldest winner of the race since Brown Lad (1974) when winning at the age of seven. Sabin Du Loir was the first four-year-old to win the race in 1983 and was followed by Fealty (1984) and Crystal Spirit (1991).

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle ante-post betting pointers

The best trial for the Ballymore has been the Deloitte Novices Hurdle at Leopardstown. Horses to win both races include Danoli (1994), Istabraq (1997) and Samcro (2018).

Winners of the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury often target this race. Nicky Henderson’s Champ won the Challow before finishing second to City Island in the Ballymore in 2019.

The Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in January was won by subsequent Ballymore winners French Holly (1998) and Yorkhill (2016). The Classic Novices Trial on Festival Trials Day is another significant guide for Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle betting tips.

Several winners of this race went on to the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown. Mikael D’Haguenet (2009) and Faugheen (2014) both followed up in that race. Peddlers Cross (2010), Simonsig (2012) and Yorkhill (2016) all won the Mersey Novices Hurdle at Aintree on their next start.

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Ballymore Novices' Hurdle history and memorable winners

The race was first run in 1971 as the Aldsworth Hurdle and was won by Midsprite. Sun Alliance took over the sponsorship from 1974 to 2006. There have been plenty of high-class winners of this race, many going on to further Grade 1 success over hurdles and fences.

Drumlargan (1980), Sabin Du Loir (1983) and Ten Plus (1986) all went on to significant chase victories. Sabin Du Loir was a great favourite with the Martin Pipe stable, winning 21 races over 10 seasons. He defeated the likes of Cheltenham Gold Cup winners Desert Orchid and Dawn Run.

Drumlargan was third to Burrough Hill Lad and Brown Chamberlin in the 1984 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Ten Plus was a brilliant novice chaser trained by Fulke Walwyn and took his chance in the 1989 Gold Cup. Sadly he suffered fatal injuries in the race won so dramatically by Desert Orchid.

Danoli (1994) was returned at 7/4 in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle betting odds after attracting massive support. Although he didn’t win a Champion Hurdle, he won the Aintree Hurdle in 1994 and 1995 and enjoyed considerable success over fences, notably winning the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup in 1997.

The most famous winner of this race was Istabraq in 1997, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Charlie Swan. He was also a heavily-backed favourite, returning at odds of 6/5 in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle betting. He went on to win three Champion Hurdles in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Hardy Eustace won the Ballymore in 2003 before going on to win back-to-back Champion Hurdles in 2004 and 2005. The New One was successful in this race in 2013 and was retired in 2018 after winning 20 races and over £1 million in prize money.

Faugheen arrived at the Cheltenham Festival in 2014 with a massive reputation and was another strong Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle tip. He started 6/4 favourite and recovered from a mistake at the third-last to win easily. Faugheen won the 2015 Champion Hurdle but was subsequently troubled by injuries throughout his career.

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle betting 2020

Trainer Willie Mullins will be well represented in the ante-post Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle betting as he seeks a fifth victory in the race. His most obvious candidate for the top novice hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival 2020 is Blue Sari, runner-up in the Champion Bumper in March.

The son of Saddex came under pressure some way from home, but launched a strong challenge in the final furlong. He was beaten three-quarters of a length by the favourite Envoi Allen. Both horses look destined for better things.

Gordon Elliott has an exciting prospect in Andy Dufresne, a £330,000 purchase by JP McManus after winning a point-to-point. He was odds-on favourite on his racecourse debut in a bumper at Down Royal in January and won easily by 10 lengths.

Ask For Glory was an impressive winner at Chepstow for Paul Nicholls in December. He didn’t race again until the Festival, where be faded to finish a disappointing ninth. The son of Fame And Glory is a lot better than he showed that day and should make up into a decent novice.

Joseph O’Brien had his first Cheltenham Festival winner in 2019 with Band Of Outlaws in the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle. O’Brien saddled Meticulous in the Champion Bumper, but his effort petered out in the closing stages. He’s better judged on his previous second to Envoi Allen at Leopardstown.

Harry Fry has high hopes for Get In The Queue, the winner of bumper races at Exeter and Newbury. He’s by Mount Nelson, out of a mare by Daylami, and provided jockey Noel Fehily with a winner on his final ride before retiring. Fry also has King Roland in the early Ballymore betting odds, a son of Stowaway who has impressed with victories at Uttoxeter and Ffos Las.

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