Cheltenham Festival Focus
The William Hill Supreme Novices Hurdle
This week I'll be focusing and previewing the first race of the Cheltenham festival 2013, this is when many of us will have the tingle running down our spine, a cheer of absolute utopia will roar from the granstands and the first champion will be born. I always enjoy the Supreme it's the numbers and the blistering gallop that makes the heart beat faster on what is the opening race and sets the scene for the four days to come.
Important Trends
Form pretty obvious starting point but it is worth noting that 14 of the last 16 winners won last time out. A very consistent trend here and with so many without that valuable 1 in the form line it's one trend I'll be siding with.
The Irish have a terrific record indeed you can go back as far as you like but within the last 10 renewals of this race they have won 5 of the last 10 and may indeed go close again.
Trainers taking Nicky Henderson as an example of a trainer with form he has trained 7 placed horses in the last 6 years. Paul Nicholls, Willie Mullins, Nicky Henderson, Noel Meade and Edward O' Grady have all trained 2 winners.
Age 5 and 6 year olds have a terrifc record and have accounted for 9 of the last 10 winners, the oldest winner in the last 10 runnings of this race was Captain Cee Bee in 2008 beating Binocular by 2 lengths on that occassion.
As with all Cheltenham races, the trends are important to take into account but I like to look at the usual variables form, track, ground, trainer form, Cheltenham form. It's also worth noting that respect must be given to this years Tolworth Hurdle form, Champion Bumper and the Betfair Novices hurdle. For the Irish the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novices hurdle at Fairyhouse in December and the Deloitte Hurdle at Leopardstown are the clues in form that usually point to a successful run in this.
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