The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle is the perfect race to kickstart Day Two at the Cheltenham Festival and it has been a good race for punters in years gone by.

With the likes of The New One, Faugheen and Samcro winning in the last decade, it may be wise to consider runners at the top of the Ballymore horse racing odds.

The race was founded in 1971 – meaning there are lots of trends, facts and statistics for punters to consider ahead of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival. Will Envoi Allen live up to the hype or will the Gordon Elliott star fall short?

 

The Ballymore is one of the Festival’s big betting races and that will be no different in 2020. Prior to placing your punts, check out the most important Ballymore trends below:

  • All 20 winners were 20/1 or shorter in Ballymore horse racing betting markets.
  • 20 out of 20 times the jockey had previously won on that horse.
  • 20/20 winners were either five OR six years old.
  • 19 of the last 20 winners were in the top five in the betting.
  • 19/20 winners won or were beaten no more than 3.5 lengths last time out.
  • 19 out of 20 winners had won in the 90 days prior to Cheltenham.
  • 19/20 finished in the first two last time out.
  • 19 of the 20 winners raced in a field of no more than 12 runners last time out.
  • 19/20 won at least one of their previous three starts.
  • 18 out of 20 winners had previously placed in a Graded race.
  • 18 /20 winners had previously raced over two miles four furlongs or further.

 

Top Trainers For The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle

Not for the first time in our Cheltenham Festival trends series it is Willie Mullins who leads the way with four Ballymore winners.

His most recent success came in 2016 as Yorkhill romped to victory – could Asterion Forlonge fly the flag for the Mullins stable this year?

We’ve had five different winning trainers in the last five Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle renewals but Gordon Elliott will be confident of ending that run this year.

Envoi Allen will take some beating based on his exploits in recent months…

 

Gallagher Novices Hurdle Prize Money

With £125,000 up for grabs, it is worth placing primary emphasis on the race.

Colin Tizzard’s novice hurdlers have been outstanding this season – could one of his runners claim victory for the stable on March 11th?


*Credit for the photo in this article belongs to Alamy*

Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.

He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.