Grade Two Premier Novices’ Hurdle Guide 2023

Returns after a 148-day lay-off but usually goes well fresh and has won four of his five starts for Fergal O’Brien at Ludlow, Worcester, Uttoxeter and Chepstow.

That Chepstow victory was in the Grade Two Persian War Novices’ Hurdle when priced at 10/1, beating Outlaw Peter by a length.

He deserves respect on recent form, albeit being a while ago but with ability to perform well fresh he must not be taken lightly.

The joint favourite is worth siding with after some good runs on the flat in France before being sent hurdling in the UK, winning on hurdling debut at Hereford in November last year.

He followed that with second at Haydock later that month before coming third in the Tolworth at Sandown in January, where Tahmuras held off L’astroboy by two and a half lengths.

He’s a key player at this level and probably the one to back.

Good start to life over hurdles with second at Uttoxeter, first at Sandown before fourth in the Tolworth behind Nemean Lion and then winning a class four novice at Newcastle last time out at 1/4fav.

He can make his presence felt over this trip after a solid start to his hurdling career.

Good start over hurdles with back-to-back wins at Perth after finishing third at the same course on debut in novice hurdle contest in July last year.

He was second in the Ballymore Novice at Cheltenham in October last year before eighth of ten in a grade two at Doncaster in January.

Best to put that last run behind him and he is open to improvement here if continuing good run of form before his last.

Seven-year-old gelding for Sandy Thomson who has much more to offer after winning his last two hurdle races at this course, over two miles. Both have come in class four contests but won in good style.

He goes off a mark of 123 here and should be firmly in the race for victory for Thomson with Ryan Mania booked to ride.

Two-time bumper winner at Newbury and then grade two at Aintree last April before third on hurdle debut at Warwick in November.

Fourth in a class two at Haydock followed and we haven’t seen him since that run 94 days ago. Others make more appeal after he wasn’t able to build on that victory at Warwick. Neil King will be hoping he can bounce back, however.

Dual novice winner at Musselburgh in November and December last year before second at Catterick and Musselburgh again in Scottish Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, losing out by four and three quarters of a length to Dancila.

Stepping up again in class here and looks a bit vulnerable against some of the other runners here.

Winner of a maiden hurdle contest at this course on debut and a winner of a novice hurdle at Newcastle in December last year but was disappointing in a grade two at Warwick in January, making a mistake at the seventh before weakening towards the end to finish fifth of seven.

This is another tough test and he will have to improve massively on that last run if in with any chance of winning.

Six-year-old gelding who finished second and fifth in NHFlat races at Fairyhouse before hurdling debut second at Navan last month, finishing four lengths behind the Willie Mullins and Paul Townend partnership on Ho My Lord.

He remains open to improvement on his second run over hurdles but others are fancied more here.

Second and third finishes have come for the five-year-old since debut at Chepstow in October and that third came in a class four novice won by Doyen Star last month.

He’s almost certain to be winning races for the top Skelton yard but this requires a step up for the gelding. You wouldn’t put it past the Skelton’s to pull it off but it is a tougher test.

Couple of decent runs in Leopardstown bumpers, second on debut and then third in a grade two last month, behind Fact To File and A Dream To Share.

Bidding for a winning hurdles debut at grade two level is bold but Emmet Mullins will be full of hope after his first two runs and he is currently joint favourite for this contest but others at least boast runs over hurdles.