Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Runner Ratings
The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is the first race in action at the Cheltenham Festival and this year’s renewal promises to be a cracker. Our expert has delved through this year’s entrants providing 10-star ratings on their chances of success. Check this out below, alongside an exclusive Sky Bet offer for both new and existing customers that sees punters receive money back in cash if their selection loses in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (1:30pm, Tuesday March 15)
1. Bring On The Night (Willie Mullins, Bryan Cooper) 25/1
French-bred gelding who is a half-brother to a Listed winner on the Flat in Bolleville. Twice a winner for Andre Fabre back in the spring of 2020 and subsequently joined current connections. Sent off the 5/6F for a Naas maiden hurdle last month and justified those prohibitive odds to score by 8l; solid yardstick in second. This represents a big step up on that form but interesting that top yard pitches him in at the deep end for his next run.
Verdict: Comfortable winner on stable debut last month and falls into the could be anything category, but this is a big ask on just second hurdles start. **
2. Constitution Hill (Nicky Henderson, Nico de Boinville) 5/2
Michael Buckley owned 5yo who was picked up for £120,000 after finishing second in a point to point last April. Has won both starts since joining the Henderson yard, those victories coming at Sandown, the latest success coming in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle. That latest victory marked him down as a potential top-notcher and this is the obvious port of call on the back of that showing. Big player for a yard that has taken two of the last six renewals of this event.
Verdict: Exciting prospect who bolted up in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle last time out, this represents a tougher assignment but yard has previous in this event. ********
3. Dysart Dynamo (Willie Mullins, Paul Townend) 9/4
Yet to taste defeat in his four starts on the track, not going off greater than 11/10 for any of those assignments. Dispatched with a useful field in the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle last time out, pulling clear in effortless fashion to score by an incredible 19l margin. Top yard has used that race in recent years to prep the likes of Vauban and Douvan, who both went on to land this contest. The choice of Paul Townend and difficult to know where his limitations currently lie, whilst every chance of an easy lead in this small field. **********
4. Jonbon (Nicky Henderson, Aidan Coleman) 5/1
Always likely to hold a high reputation being a brother to the exceptional Douvan, and he has proven a well-above-average sort in his own right in a light career on the track. Picked up for £570,000 after landing a point back in November 2020 and has gone on to win all four starts under rules for these connections, landing back-to-back Grade 2s the last twice. Form of those events probably nothing to shout home about but he’s difficult to knock at this point, albeit on ratings at least he has a little to find with the top two. *******
5. JPR One (Colin Tizzard, Brendan Powell) 100/1
Court Cave gelding who landed a competitive Exeter novice hurdle; two directly behind now rated 135 and 134, on debut back in November. Subsequent close second here showed his ability to act on the track but his limitations were firmly exposed in the Betfair Hurdle last month when beating just one runner home. That was perhaps too big an ask at this stage of his career but his sights are hardly lowered and therefore he’s impossible to recommend. *
6. Kilcruit (Willie Mullins, Patrick Mullins) 15/2
Family homebred being bred by Willie Mullins mother and he was one of the leading lights in a competitive bumper division last season, bolting up in a Grade 2 at the Dublin Racing Festival before going down by just a half-length to stablemate Sir Gerhard in the Champion Bumper here. Beaten at long odds-on for his first two hurdles assignments this campaign yet came good at Punchestown last time (making all to score by 21l). Recent reports have been positive but he’s far from guaranteed an easy lead in this company and Paul Townend jumps ship to ride stablemate Dysart Dynamo, which suggests that he is the stable first string. ****
7. Mighty Potter (Gordon Elliott, Jack Kennedy) 13/2
Produced an eye-catching performance to land a maiden hurdle at Down Royal back in October by 21l, a race that his powerful yard has previously used to launch the hurdling careers of the likes of Envoi Allen and Ballyadam. Slightly unlucky third in the Grade 1 Royal Bond subsequently before deservedly getting off the mark at this level in the Future Champions at Leopardstown over Christmas. Has seemingly been kept fresh for this race ever since and has gone under the radar somewhat, but in truth that didn’t look the strongest of Grade 1s last time with the three directly behind all beaten next time out. *****
8. Shallwehaveonemore (Gary Moore, Josh Moore) 66/1
Had the smart Walking On Air behind when landing a Kempton bumper last season. Off the mark at the third attempt in this sphere when justifying 4/9F to land a Sandown novice last month, but he was held when favourite for the Dovecote subsequently in what looked a below-par renewal of that contest. Held by Constitution Hill on their Tolworth Hurdle running and whilst he’s probably capable of better than what he’s shown up to now this looks a very big ask. **
9. Silent Revolution (Paul Nicholls, Harry Cobden) 100/1
Winner of one of three bumper starts last season, seeing off the useful Lebowski at Huntingdon in December 2020 but finishing a beaten favourite on his starts either side of that. Given wind surgery prior to making his seasonal/hurdles debut in November and that appeared to bring about some improvement, scoring at Newbury at the expense of the useful Broomfield Burg. That confirmed his ability to act when fresh, but this is a whole new ballgame and landing a race of this magnitude on the back of one hurdles outing would be a training performance of monumental proportions. *
Big Race Verdict
An absolutely vintage renewal of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in prospect here. Nicky Henderson fires two strong bullets in the form of Constitution Hill and Jonbon, who are preferred in that order. They do have their questions to answer, however, and come up against a potentially top draw rival here in DYSART DYNAMO. Willie Mullins’ charge has hardly broken sweat to land his four career starts to date, running out a 19l winner of the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer at Punchestown last time. Mullins has used that race as a prep for previous Supreme winners in the past and Paul Townend’s decision to choose this gelding ahead of last year’s Champion Bumper second Kilcruit looks a notable one.