2026 Novice Hurdlers

[Killiney]

Ex FR AQPS horse, won 5 on the bounce culminating in the G3 @ Vichy. Solid form from the ones in behind that have stayed in AQPS races/gone hurdling

Thanks for taking the time to- appreciated

 

[Killiney]

….Skelton re Kadastral;

‘He’s a very talented horse, we felt the improvement last year from run one to run two and we’ve seen that same improvement today as a hurdler.

“I’ll just look after him now and I don’t think you’ll see him at Cheltenham, he’s more likely to be a horse for Aintree.

“That’s not because he is not Cheltenham standard, I feel he is, but he’s a tall, quite a fraction narrow horse, and I think the right thing to do is tread carefully as a novice hurdler with the ambition to become a really good chaser.

“I’m not going to go asking him questions and find out what he can’t do, I’d rather just put him in the right races and make him the best he can be.”

He went on: “There is no doubt he’s a very nice horse and you can just see sometimes that some might be significantly better over a fence and this one is definitely in that category.

“If we are going to win a graded race, we think that will be at Cheltenham and we like him.”

Thanks Eggs for timely post - managed to cash out !

 

[Yosser]

He had one mid-end of Nov I believe

Could still show up in the 2m4 4yo maiden

But we'll see

He definitely did have an entry over 2 miles. I saw that. Not bothered if he is a 2 mile or 2 and a half, I've covered both at nice prices but want to see him out. Maybe Doctor Du Mesnil who is an Albert Bartlett horse (so we keep being swerved) is the 2 miler after all. Bingo in full swing now

 

[riccirich]

Pretty sure fou de toi was balloted out of the race he was entered in november.

There must be an issue as don't really see any reason for him not being in those entries today, not as if mullins is choosy with his entries. Easy to fear the worst but there's all kinds of small issues that could have just meant he was held up for a couple of weeks or something.

 

[Guinness Village]

There is the 2m and 2m4f maiden hurdles at tramore on New Year’s Day that Willie often runs a good one in. He will be 5 then.

 

[riccirich]

There is the 2m and 2m4f maiden hurdles at tramore on New Year’s Day that Willie often runs a good one in. He will be 5 then.

The two winners of that 2m maiden at tramore that I could remember were El fabiolo and Quais de Paris, both of whom were horses from france who hadn't won, like fou de toi. So it's possible he likes to send a specific type of horse to that tramore race and is saving fou de toi for it.

 

[Kauto’s star]

He definitely did have an entry over 2 miles. I saw that. Not bothered if he is a 2 mile or 2 and a half, I've covered both at nice prices but want to see him out. Maybe Doctor Du Mesnil who is an Albert Bartlett horse (so we keep being swerved) is the 2 miler after all. Bingo in full swing now

After covering DDM for the supreme and turners at nice prices, fully expecting him to be a stayer tho defo not backing him for a third race….I didn’t even do that with Gaelic warrior

 

[Kauto’s star]

Le Divin still in the entries .. phew.

The more I think about it, the more this is one of the supreme fancies no?

 

[Eggs]

When asked for the name of the horse he is looking forward to over the busy Christmas schedule, Skelton said: “Mydaddypaddy. It will be great to go into a Grade One with a great chance like that.

“We’re not putting any more weight on his shoulders than there is already, he’s ante-post favourite for the Cheltenham opener and it doesn’t get more pressurised than that, really.

“He’s looked really good and he’s had a nice prep at home and everything is going nicely, so hopefully it continues to do so and I think it will take a good one to beat him (at Aintree). He could get beat, but if we are, then it will be by a really good one.”

Unbeaten in his two outings over timber, Mydaddypaddy is already as short as 4-1 in places for the first race of the Cheltenham Festival in March and his Boxing Day appearance on Merseyside could be the last time he is sighted before Prestbury Park’s showpiece meeting in the spring.

“I believe it will be his last run before the Supreme – without guaranteeing it,” added Skelton.

“It’s what we did last year with The New Lion, we went from the Challow straight to the Festival, so we will probably do the same. But I do reserve the right to change my mind.”

 

[Hurricane fly]

Whilst the placed horses from the champion bumper have disappointed in different ways.

Runners from the champion Bumper are current favourites for the Turners, Bartlett, mares novice and County hurdle.

The winner of the Championship Bumper at Cheltenham and Punchestown (and Mares Bumpers at DRF ) has just lost

The 2nd in the CB lost once stepped out of maiden terriroty

The third in CB has lost on both starts over hurdles

The fourth in the CB has lost on both starts over hurdles

The 2nd in Punchestown has lost on both starts over hurdles (Also second in the mares bumper at DRF)

The 3rd in Punchestown has lost on both starts over hurdles (and DRF boys winner)

The 4th at Punchestown has lost on debut over hurdles

Last years CB favourite has been turned over twice out of three runs over hurdles


No drama this End is the fav for the turners on the basis of beating Heads Up, a look back to third shows he was beaten 3 lengths further in a maiden in Galway. The record of November meeting winners in March is poor recently so I'll hold fire before believing he's a true favourite rather than just the first winner of a "big" race. (he's also fav on odds checker for the Bartlett, but I would agree Sortudo could be involved in the AB)

The MNH favourite is favourite because of the bumper form which is what I'm saying is poor and just got beat.


I certainly believe we need to be looking away from last years crop for the novice winners

 

[Brooksie]

Does anyone else find it weird that Willie was quoted by the racing post on the 16th of November saying:

Sortudo

'This chap will want a trip and he's one for staying novice hurdles, so he might be an Albert Bartlett type. He's done well over the summer and is working away. We'll find a suitable maiden hurdle for him'.

Only to run him one week later... in a bloody hood? Something tells me he was already showing speed at home, and if that is the case I'm quite happy to put a line through the comment above, until beat over 2 miles surely he rocks up in the supreme.

 

[Quevega]

The winner of the Championship Bumper at Cheltenham and Punchestown (and Mares Bumpers at DRF ) has just lost

The 2nd in the CB lost once stepped out of maiden terriroty

The third in CB has lost on both starts over hurdles

The fourth in the CB has lost on both starts over hurdles

The 2nd in Punchestown has lost on both starts over hurdles (Also second in the mares bumper at DRF)

The 3rd in Punchestown has lost on both starts over hurdles (and DRF boys winner)

The 4th at Punchestown has lost on debut over hurdles

Last years CB favourite has been turned over twice out of three runs over hurdles


No drama this End is the fav for the turners on the basis of beating Heads Up, a look back to third shows he was beaten 3 lengths further in a maiden in Galway. The record of November meeting winners in March is poor recently so I'll hold fire before believing he's a true favourite rather than just the first winner of a "big" race. (he's also fav on odds checker for the Bartlett, but I would agree Sortudo could be involved in the AB)

The MNH favourite is favourite because of the bumper form which is what I'm saying is poor and just got beat.


I certainly believe we need to be looking away from last years crop for the novice winners

It's probably always wise to look beyond the bumper crop IMO, but not ignore them completely, especially in recent times.
Same goes with writing off the Bumper form at this stage. Especially given what I said - that prompted your list

 

[Quevega]

Does anyone else find it weird that Willie was quoted by the racing post on the 16th of November saying:

Sortudo

'This chap will want a trip and he's one for staying novice hurdles, so he might be an Albert Bartlett type. He's done well over the summer and is working away. We'll find a suitable maiden hurdle for him'.

Only to run him one week later... in a bloody hood? Something tells me he was already showing speed at home, and if that is the case I'm quite happy to put a line through the comment above, until beat over 2 miles surely he rocks up in the supreme.

I'd wait and see if he is declared at xmas or if townend and willie opt for another one for the grade 1 at leopardstown.

 

[Brooksie]

I'd wait and see if he is declared at xmas or if townend and willie opt for another one for the grade 1 at leopardstown.

Yeah I'll be keeping a close eye, the move today for LDE suggests he runs, but I wouldn't be surprised if Willie runs a couple.

 

[Ellisgittings]

Pretty sure fou de toi was balloted out of the race he was entered in november.

There must be an issue as don't really see any reason for him not being in those entries today, not as if mullins is choosy with his entries. Easy to fear the worst but there's all kinds of small issues that could have just meant he was held up for a couple of weeks or something.

He was balloted out yeah. Based off the Tayz tweet, I suspect he's picked something up

 

[riccirich]

He was balloted out yeah. Based off the Tayz tweet, I suspect he's picked something up

I think that tweet was just joking, don't think he knows why he's not entered.

 

[Quevega]

Yeah I'll be keeping a close eye, the move today for LDE suggests he runs, but I wouldn't be surprised if Willie runs a couple.

Likely to be the mcmanus horse though I'd imagine.
All depends how they all are when he's declaring.

 

[SeanRock]

Does anyone else find it weird that Willie was quoted by the racing post on the 16th of November saying:

Sortudo

'This chap will want a trip and he's one for staying novice hurdles, so he might be an Albert Bartlett type. He's done well over the summer and is working away. We'll find a suitable maiden hurdle for him'.

Only to run him one week later... in a bloody hood? Something tells me he was already showing speed at home, and if that is the case I'm quite happy to put a line through the comment above, until beat over 2 miles surely he rocks up in the supreme.

Preach Brooksie

But not too loudly

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Yeah I'll be keeping a close eye, the move today for LDE suggests he runs, but I wouldn't be surprised if Willie runs a couple.

Was.just about to reply about the notable market move for LDE today.

Sortudo out a fair bit too. Was 11/4 top price at one point.

 

[Ellisgittings]

I think that tweet was just joking, don't think he knows why he's not entered.

He loves a cryptic tweet. Probs something in it. They get mass entered so I suspect if he was running over Xmas, even if it was intended the 28th, I reckon he'd be entered for boxing day