The Challow Novices’ Hurdle this Saturday is a Grade 1 Race run at Newbury over 2 miles 4½ furlongs and Novice Hurdlers aged four and older are eligible to run in it.
Previous winners have included Bonanza Boy, Large Action, Bindaree, Denman, Witchita Lineman and Reve de Sivola.
Challow Trends (Last 10 Years)
- 10/10 - Had won no more than 3 times over hurdles before.
- 10/10 - The last 10 winners have been aged 4, 5, or 6.
- 10/10 - Had raced in the last 8 weeks.
- 10/10 – Had placed in the top three last time out.
- 10/10 – Returned 8/1 or shorter in the betting. SPs of the winners have ranged from 4/11 to 8/1.
- 9/10 - Went onto run at the Cheltenham Festival producing one winner (Wichita Lineman, 2006).
- 8/10 winners were rated 137 or higher
- 5/10 – Were winning favourites.
- 3/10 – Trained by Jonjo O’Neill .JP McManus has owned 2 of the last 8 winners.
- 3/10 winners ran in the Classic Novices Hurdle next with two of them winning.
- 2/10 – Were ridden by Daryl Jacob.
- 2/10 – Were trained by Nick Williams.
Main Contenders
Champ (Nicky Henderson)
Champ has lived up to his name thus far this season winning on his last three starts over hurdles by a combined distance of 25 lengths.
He was very impressive last time out, heading to the front and holding on with ease to win a big handicap at Newbury.
He is a course-and-distance winner too and it is totally understandable why he is at the top of the market.
Coolanly (Fergal O'Brien)
Coolanly has run in decent company since being beaten by Vinndication on his hurdles debut.
He was made favourite when falling in a Grade 2 at Chepstow on his seasonal debut but made up for that with victory in another Grade 2 at Cheltenham last time.
He officially has 7lb to find with Champ but he is trained by last year’s winning trainer Fergal O’Brien who will eke out every last drop of improvement in him.
Brewin'Upastorm (Olly Murphy)
Olly Murphy’s got off the mark over hurdles at the first time of asking.
It is hard to tell whether he beat much in that hurdle at Huntingdon but there is plenty of scope for improvement and the punters appear to like him in the horse racing betting market.
Kateson (Tom Lacey)
Finished second in the bumper at the Grand National Meeting and has won both his hurdle races thus far. He was backed into favouritism for both those wins.
Kateson is a course-and-distance winner on similar ground to what he will encounter on Saturday and has shaped like a class animal this term.
He is officially rated 9lb inferior to Champ but could easily serve it up to him on Saturday.
Getaway Trump (Paul Nicholls)
Paul Nicholls’ five-year-old was visually impressive as he powered away from his rivals last time out at Exeter.
That race may have been over two miles only but he has won over this extended trip already this season and looks to be a horse on an upward spiral.
Alsa Mix (Alan King)
A winning point-to-pointer, the grey mare ran in a couple of bumpers in September and November, winning them both.
She surprisingly went off at odds of 12/1 at Sandown on her hurdles debut and duly won, beating Darlac and Mercy Mercy Me in the process.
Her trainer won this race in 2016 and he comes into this battle with an unbeaten horse.
Conclusion
With a multitude of hotpots taking a thumping over the Christmas holiday period it is a very difficult time to be a favourite backer at the moment.
Tom Lacey is currently a trainer very much in form and his Kateson looks destined for bigger and greater things. He is the selection to take on the favourite with.
888sport suggests: Kateson (win).
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
