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2014 Supreme Novices Hurdle

skippymac6 said:
Some serious love for Wicklow Brave the last while. Granted he has shown a lot of promise and is obviously impressing at home but again I think it's a case of valuing potential over performance which is very prevelant in racing. Vautour and Irving have the best form and are the two I'd be following. That said I do think Western Boy if he lines up could be the fly in the ointment. If Fahy sends him over there after such a long break and with his inexperience, and the fact that he has said that he's minding him this year, must be worth a second look
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I think the Wicklow Brave thing has been fed by Patrick Mullins at the previews. His jumping is pretty sketchy in my opinion.
 
The Supreme has "a history over the last 30 years of witnessing short-priced, form-based favourites being turned over with nine of the last 11 to be sent off at no bigger than 2/1 failing to justify strong market confidence and only three of the last 18 favourites to start at 3/1 or less have won ".
 
Splash Of Ginge
6 b g Oscar (IRE) - Land Of Honour (Supreme Leader)
Form: 464-4241331 Owner: John Neild Breeder: Stewart Pike
Nigel Twiston-Davies said: "He will go for the Supreme. The winner of race last year was rated 148, while Splash Of Ginge is 142, only 6lb lower. There won't be many runners -10 to 12 - and in the handicaps there will be 24. He has improved a lot according to the form book. I wasn't surprised by Newbury because he ran well behind Irving at Ascot when he jumped poorly - it was the wrong way around for him and still was beaten only seven lengths. This way around, he is so much better - it gives a little bit of hope. If he keeps improving, he can win the race. Sadly Ryan (Hatch) will probably not get a ride at The Festival but he had two superb weekends. It was lovely to give him a boost."
* Sprung a 33/1 surprise with a game victory under Ryan Hatch in the Grade Three Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on February 8 for enthusiastic owners.
* Easily won a maiden hurdle at Aintree on December 7 and followed up with a pair of thirds in Grade Two contests - the Kennel Gate Novices' Hurdle at Ascot on December 20 and the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Warwick on January 11.
* Has yet to run at Cheltenham; holds Festival entries in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle, the Coral Cup, the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.
Race Record: Starts: 10; Wins: 2; 2nd: 1; 3rd: 2; Win & Place prize money: £101,306
 
Working out the JP horses is impossible :mad:


Gilgamboa is prominent in the betting for both the Sky Bet Supreme and the County Hurdle following his striking victory in the valuable Boylesports.com Hurdle at Leopardstown at the start of January.

The Enda Bolger-trained six-year-old is entered in three races next week - the Sky Bet Supreme, the Neptune and the County Hurdle - but connections will leave it late before deciding.

Bolger told the Irish Times: "JP (McManus, owner) has a lot of horses to sort out, so I would imagine it would be the weekend before a decision is made. But he's definitely going to go (to Cheltenham) and he's well,"
 
Mullins


Wicklow Brave, Vautour and Valseur Lido look to be my three for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle - they are top of the pile at the moment. Wicklow Brave is improving all the time and the form of his Listed win is holding up very well. He will appreciate the likely better ground at Cheltenham. Vautour is a good jumper and that is essential in the Supreme while Valseur Lido is somewhat of a dark horse who could be anything.
 
There is under a week to go until the tapes go up for the £120,000 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the sense of anticipation intensifies today with the publication of the six-day acceptors.

The Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle is a Grade One event and takes place over an extended two miles. It is the first race of The Festival at Cheltenham, due off at 1.30pm next Tuesday, March 11.

Heading the market at 5/2 with Sky Bet is Irving (Paul Nicholls). The six-year-old German import is undefeated in four British starts and followed up his victory in the Grade Two Kennel Gate Novices' Hurdle at Ascot in December by taking the Grade Two Sky Bet Dovecote Novices' Hurdle at Kempton on February 22, when he scored by a facile five lengths. The seven-time champion trainer could also run Lac Fontana (33/1 with Sky Bet), a dual winner at Cheltenham this season.

Trainer Kim Bailey, who is based not far from Cheltenham at Andoversford, is enjoying his best season since 2001/02 and is set to be represented by Un Ace (40/1). The lightly-raced six-year-old has only made one start over hurdles so far, sauntering to an impressive eight-length success over an extended two miles at Doncaster on February 19.

Bailey reported today: "It is the plan to run Un Ace in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

"He worked and schooled this morning and I was very happy with him, so providing everything goes to plan we hope to be at Cheltenham on Tuesday. He wants good ground so the drying conditions should suit him.

"He was particularly impressive when he won at Doncaster. He has obviously only had the one run over hurdles but I don't think he is a horse that needs a lot of experience as he is a six-year-old rather than a five-year-old. I am very happy with him."

Eight of the last 13 winners have been from across the Irish Sea and Ireland once again hold a formidable hand with 10 entries going forward. Ireland's champion trainer Willie Mullins is responsible for five of these headed by Vautour (100/30 second favourite with Sky Bet), who is undefeated in three starts this season having taken the Grade One Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown last time out on February 9. Mullins' strong team also includes the third favourite Wicklow Brave (13/2), who has won both his starts over hurdles, Faugheen (12/1), Valseur Lido (16/1) and Renneti (33/1).

The pick of the remaining Irish entries looks to be Gilgamboa (Enda Bolger, 16/1), a lightly-raced six-year-old who was last seen out when taking a valuable handicap hurdle at Leopardstown on January 25.

British champion trainer Nicky Henderson has two leading contenders in Vaniteux (12/1), an impressive winner at Doncaster last time out and Josses Hill (16/1), who was narrowly defeated in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle at Kempton in January.

The Liquidator (David Pipe, 20/1) put himself in the picture for Cheltenham when taking the Grade Two Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham on November 17. He could be joined by stable companion Pleasant Company (100/1).

Final declarations for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle are made on Monday, March 10.

Michael Shinners, Racing PR Manager for Sky Bet, commented: "The Sky Bet Supreme Novices' is all set to be a magnificent contest with the very best novice hurdlers from Britain and Ireland set to take their chance. It should provide the perfect curtain-raiser to The Festival.

"All of the leading contenders remain engaged and Irving is our current 5/2 market leader following his victory in the Sky Bet Dovecote Novices' Hurdle at Kempton last month."

Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Sky Bet bet: 5/2 Irving; 100/30 Vautour; 13/2 Wicklow Brave; 12/1 Faugheen, Vaniteux; 16/1 Gilgamboa, Josses Hill, Valseur Lido, Western Boy; 20/1 Splash of Ginge, The Liquidator; 25/1 Wilde Blue Yonder; 33/1 Cheltenian, Garde La Victoire, Lac Fontana, Lieutenant Colonel, Pearl Castle, Sgt Reckless; 40/1 Renneti, Un Ace; 50/1 Quickpick Vic, Three Kingdoms; 66/1 Germany Calling, Sky Khan, Art Of Payroll; 100/1 Fantasy King, Pleasant Company, Vice Et Vertu; 250/1 Aazif
 
Ruby Walsh

But I won’t be shocked if I’ve got it wrong in at least a race or two. For instance Wicklow Brave is working faster than Vautour.
 
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