Entries revealed for novice hurdles at Cheltenham Festival
Entries have been unveiled for the four novice hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival - with the Sky Bet Supreme attracting 98.
Britain's champion Jump trainer Nicky Henderson holds a strong hand in the opening race of the meeting, with Sky Bet's 5/1 ante-post favourite Angels Breath and Mister Fisher among his four entries.
Irish point-to-point graduate Angels Breath captured the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle on his Rules' debut at Ascot in December, while Mister Fisher landed a corresponding contest at Haydock Park earlier this month.
Henderson's quartet also includes Champagne Platinum, who impressed in taking minor contests at Newcastle and Newbury in December, as the trainer chases his fourth Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle victory.
Angels Breath's part-owner Dai Walters has another leading contender in Al Dancer (Nigel Twiston-Davies), who made it three from three over hurdles with an impressive handicap success at The International at Cheltenham in December.
Al Dancer is the hot favourite for next month's Betfair Handicap Hurdle at Newbury, which has been a key trial for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle in recent years.
Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies reported: "Al Dancer has been in good form since Cheltenham and the plan is to run next in the Betfair Hurdle as it is a nice race to win. The Supreme Novices' Hurdle is the long-term aim and the Betfair Hurdle will tell us more."
A strong British challenge is bolstered further by Tolworth winner Elixir De Nutz (Colin Tizzard), successful over the course and distance in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle at The November Meeting.
Ireland's champion trainer Willie Mullins has been the handler to follow in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, with three of his five victories in the Grade One race coming in the last six years.
Mullins accounts for 23 of the 57 Irish-trained entries, with his string led by Aramon, a 10-length winner at Leopardstown over Christmas, and promising maiden hurdle victor Klassical Dream.
Michael Shinners, Racing PR Manager at Sky Bet, commented: "Angels Breath went straight to the head of the market for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle after winning at Ascot just before Christmas and remains our solid 5/1 favourite (Non-Runner, No Bet).
"The opposition is sure to be strong, with some impressive contenders among the record 57 Irish-trained entries.
"The Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle unfailingly provides the perfect curtain-raiser to the four best days in Jump racing and we look set for a vintage renewal in 2019."
Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle - Sky Bet prices (NRNB): 5/1 Angels Breath; 8/1 Battleoverdoyen, Mister Fisher; 10/1 Al Dancer, Elixir De Nutz, Fakir D'Oudairies, Vision d'Honneur; 12/1 Aramon, Champagne Platinum, Getaway Trump, Klassical Dream, Tornado Flyer; 14/1 bar
Champ out to floor Ballymore rivals
Ante-post favourite Champ (Nicky Henderson) is among 139 entries, including 77 Irish-trained, for the Ballymore Novices Hurdle over an extended two and a half miles.
Champ propelled himself to the head of the betting with a commanding victory in the Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury on December 29 - with Getaway Trump (Paul Nicholls) and Brewin'Upastorm (Olly Murphy) in behind.
Henderson's nine-strong team for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle also includes unbeaten Festival Trials Day scorer Birchdale, who like Champ is owned by J P McManus, and impressive Wetherby scorer Clarendon Street.
Beakstown (Dan Skelton) marked himself down as a contender when taking the G2 Ballymore Leamington Novices' Hurdle at Warwick on January 12.
Samcro provided trainer Gordon Elliott with his first Ballymore Novices' Hurdle success in 2018. Elliott has 12 entries in total, headed by Naas Grade One victor Battleoverdoyen and Vision d'Honneur, who looked the part when winning a maiden hurdle at Punchestown earlier this month.
Willie Mullins, who has lifted the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle on four occasions, has a remarkable 33 entries. They include top-class bumper performers Relegate and Tornado Flyer, plus improving Naas Grade Two scorer Easy Game.
The Irish-trained contingent also includes exciting mare Honeysuckle (Henry de Bromhead), who has won all three of her starts impressively this term.
Selected fascinating Bartlett entry
Weatherbys Champion Bumper runner-up Carefully Selected (Willie Mullins), who has yet to race over hurdles, is among 107 entries for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle over three miles.
The 58 Irish-trained entries also feature Derrinross (Philip Dempsey), who had Sams Profile (Mouse Morris IRE) in behind when winning a Grade Three contest at Cork and subsequently followed up in a Grade Two at Limerick over Christmas. Maiden hurdle victors Commander of Fleet (Gordon Elliott) and The Big Dog (Peter Fahey) are also entered.
British-trained hopes include Lisnagar Oscar (Rebecca Curtis) and highly-regarded point recruit Dickie Diver (Nicky Henderson), who were separated by a head in a novices' hurdle at Chepstow earlier this month.
Ask Ben (Graeme McPherson) produced a 50/1 shock when overhauling subsequent Grade Two scorer Beakstown in the French Furze Novices' Hurdle at Newcastle in December, but proved that was no fluke next time out when registering a 19-length success over three miles at Ayr on January 20.
Trainer Graeme McPherson, who is based just outside Stow-on-the-Wold in Gloucestershire, said: "Ask Ben is in very good form and we were delighted with his performance at Ayr.
"His next start will hopefully be in the G2 Albert Bartlett trial next month at Haydock [Saturday, February 16]. That meeting can have quite soft ground. He acts on that ground, but I don't think he necessarily needs it. That race is four weeks before the Albert Bartlett at The Festival. So if everything goes to plan, it will be Haydock in the middle of February and Cheltenham in March.
"He is an extremely exciting prospect and to have a horse around like him at this time of the year is hugely exciting for me and all of the team. Ask Ben won at a big price for us first time out at Newcastle in December and has kept on improving. After Ayr, people have taken him seriously and the form of his Newcastle win has also taken a boost. To have people talking about him as a potential Cheltenham Festival contender is fantastic and hopefully all goes to plan between now and then."
Strong Irish entry in JCB Triumph
The highlight for four-year-olds at The Festival™ presented by Magners is the JCB Triumph Hurdle over two miles and a furlong, for which there are 59 entries, of which 33 are trained in Ireland.
Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien has a very strong hand thanks to high-class Flat recruit Sir Erec, who defeated Tiger Tap Tap (Willie Mullins) on his hurdling debut at Leopardstown over Christmas, and impressive Festival Trials Day victor Fakir D'Oudairies.
Elliott captured the JCB Triumph Hurdle in 2018 with Farclas. The Co Meath handler's six contenders include Chief Justice and Coeur Sublime, who finished first and second in a Grade Three contest at Fairyhouse in December.
The leading British-trained hope is Quel Destin (Paul Nicholls), who followed up victories at Cheltenham and Doncaster with a hard-fought success in the G1 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow on December 27.
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