We have had the latest acceptance stage for the 2024 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, which kicks off the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday 12th March at 13:30 and heading the betting is Ballyburn, who is a red-hot favourite for Willie Mullins and looks the one they all have to beat in the Festival curtain-raiser.
A total of 38 horses remain in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with the likes of Willmount, Farren Glory and recent Paul Nicholls purchase Caldwell Potter all being taken out, but it’s Ballyburn that is the star attraction of those remaining.
The Mullins operation opened their stable doors to the media on Monday and Ballyburn was certainly one of the notable topics of conversation as after his fine win in a Leopardstown Grade 1 at the start of February he was duly cut in the betting for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and is an odds-on favourite with many bookmakers, at the time of writing.
However, Mullins was tight-lipped when pushed on where Ballyburn will line up next month at Cheltenham and the picture was made no clearer today with Ballyburn not only being kept in the Supreme, but also holding his entry in the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle on day two of the festival.
Well fancied for both, Ballyburn is one horse that will prove popular with punters in whatever Grade 1 novice hurdle he lines up in, but it’s expected by many that the Supreme could be his port of call come the spring.
He will have some notable rivals to beat in the Supreme and Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle hero and stablemate Mystical Power will be one that takes his chance in the Supreme, while the Nicky Henderson-trained unbeaten Jeriko Du Reponet is another well fancied runner, with Firefox and Slade Steel another brace of entries that could be strong adversaries, if taking their chance.
Read More:
- Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Trends: What the Stats Say About the Cheltenham Festival Opener
- Cheltenham Festival News: Brilliant Ballyburn hot favourite for Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after Leopardstown romp