Cheltenham Supreme Novices Hurdle Preview

The traditional curtain raiser to the Cheltenham Festival meeting is the 2-mile Supreme Novices Hurdle. The opening race is for four-year-olds and upwards in their novice season and they are sent on their way with the famous “Cheltenham Roar” that celebrates the opening of the finest jump racing meeting in the world.

In previous years the race has been a launch pad for the careers of future champions and has been won by such names as Flyingbolt, L’Escargot, Bula, Golden Cygnet, Buck House, Hors La Lois III and Brave Inca. Last year the race was won by Al Ferof from Spirit Son and Sprinter Sacre and the form of that race is looking top class with all three staking their claim to major prizes again at the 2012 Cheltenham festival.

The Cheltenham betting on the Supreme Novices Hurdle this year is looking wide open with Steps To Freedom currently showing as 10-1 favourite ahead of Waaheb. The former holds favouritism based on a course victory in November when beating Prospect Wells by a neck conceding 3lb. Whilst Prospect Wells is clearly an above average novice, he was subsequently beaten in a competitive handicap and was well below form when beaten in the Tolworth Hurdle behind Captain Conan.

Waaheb has yet to race over hurdles and his short price is based on the potential he showed in winning his three bumper races last season. Should he reappear and win impressively then he would almost certainly shorten up to favourite in the Cheltenham betting. Nicky Henderson saddled the second and third in 2011 and is responsible for Captain Conan. However, the feeling was that he would rather avoid sending his horse to this event with a view to his long-term future being over fences. He is quoted at 14-1, just two points shorter than the horse he defeated at Sandown, Colour Squadron. Henderson could yet hold the key to this race as he has two other lively contenders in Darlan and Simonsig.

Simonsig cruised up to Fingal Bay (favourite for the 2 ½ mile novice at Cheltenham) at Sandown but appeared not to last out beyond the 2 miles that day and had to settle for second place. Darlan was a narrow winner over this course in the colours of JP McManus in December and gives Henderson a strong hand in the race. With the contest being so open this year it may be worth looking out for an improving novice and following the market closely in the weeks ahead.