The Triumph Hurdle, the Championship for juvenile hurdlers, opens Gold Cup day, and is usually a fascinating betting heat- we tend to know less about the field here than we do in any other Festival race. Could we have seen a potential superstar lurking in this division already, or is there a monster yet to be unleashed?
he final day of the Cheltenham Festival begins with the Triumph hurdle. A 2-mile Class 1 featuring a 14-strong field. Last year’s winner Lossiemouth added to her tally with a fine victory in the Mares Hurdle on Tuesday, and this year’s field is as promising.
Today’s Super Boost – to be finally confirmed and released at 10am, is 13/8 Storm Heart to place in the 1.30 Cheltenham (3 places). It’s been a great week for Super Boost backers with bet365.
- Tuesday 1/1 for State Man to win WON
- Wednesday 1/1 Ballyburn to win WON
- Thursday 6/4 for either Facile Vega or Grey Dawning to win WON
- Storm Heart Boost Below:
Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino heads the betting at 9/4. While this is the form horse the yard is not in its best form so we believe many will look elsewhere.
Majborough hails from Willie Mullins’ yard and is a promising prospect. However, Paul Townend picks stablemate Storm Heart, which makes this an interesting choice for backers of the yard.
Joseph O’Brien saddles an interesting runner in Nurburgring. Back after a break, we’ve taken note of this horse being backed in during Thursday, so it’s one to get onto now if you want to secure 8/1.
At a bigger price of 11/1 we can’t discount Gary Moore’s Salver. Having won the last four we can’t see any reason why a good run and certainly a place is out of the question.
The rest of the field have a lot of work to do as there is some serious quality among the front runners, but our picks would be Salver and Nurburgring as each way options.
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Previous Update: Willie Mullins won this last year with Lossiemouth, and also saddled the next three in the finishing order. This year he enters Kargese, winner of the Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown recently and currently available at 4/1.
Other Mullins runners include Storm Heart and Majborough at 7/1 and 8/1 respectively.
Other races of interest on Day 4 Friday:
- 13:30 Triumph Hurdle Tips
- 14:10 County Hurdle Tips
- 14:50 Albert Bartlett Tips
- 15:30 Cheltenham Gold Cup Tips
- 16:10 Hunters Chase
- 16:50 Mares Steeple Chase Tips
- 17:30 Martin Pipe Tips
Interesting at a bigger price is Kala Conti at 16/1, and while Gordon Elliot’s charge came in behind the Mullins quartet at Leopardstown a clear run could get into the mix. Nurburgring, from the O’Brien yard, ran a close third to Kala Conti and Kargese when last seen at Leopardstown in December and looks good value at 14/1.
With a wide range of talent in what is among the most important races for juvenile 4-year olds, this one is not a certainty for Sir Gino by any means, but we expect the Henderson charge to be at the front when it matters most.
Previous Update: 2023 looks to be a lot more competitive on paper.
Read more about Cheltenham Festival tips at the 2024 Festival here.
ZANAHIYR is the leading juvenile this year with a Grade Three & Grade Two to his name. The ex Aga Khan owned Juvenile was thrilling in November when beating SAINT SAM (2nd in Boodles Juvenile on Tuesday) by fourteen lengths. He quickened up impressively after jumping the second last and zipped clear.
His win in the Knight Frank Juvenile last time wasn’t as impressive on paper but re-watching the race visually it was.
They went a slow gallop that day and he quickened nicely to put some nice Irish horses away.
Triumph Hurdle Winners
He has been impressive in all his starts, but I feel he’s beatable.
TRITONIC is one of the highest rated horses this season to go jumping with an impressive rating of 99 on the flat. Bought by the McNeill Family originally to go hurdling, it came as a surprise to them that he would be so good on flat. On his hurdling debut he was workman-like in beating CASA LOUPI by one length.
His jumping was poor on that occasion, but his stamina helped claw in the leaders to win a shade snugly.
His Adonis Hurdle win was most impressive beating the same horse of Gary Moore’s again but by ten lengths this time. On a track like Kempton that is sharp and not likely to suit he blitzed away from his rivals once jumping the last.
His jumping had improved but he still made a slight error. Winners of the Adonis don’t really have a particularly good record when going to the Triumph after it.
Triumph Hurdle trends
SOLO, REDICEAN, MASTER BLUEEYES, ZUBAYR and BELTOR are just a few examples in recent years of disappointments, and you have to go back to 2011 to see a winner come from that race. However, I feel TRITONIC is a completely different type of horse to others that have failed.
With strong form on the flat and stamina in an abundance at this level I think he will take all the beating.
TAX FOR MAX is a horse certainly of interest here given the amount of credit he got after finishing second behind TEAHUPPO last time.
Far too keen and clearly looking like a nutter he looked to challenge the odds-on favourite late on but emptied quickly. This German recruit looked to have a load of ability and, as still an entire, is a fascinating quantity that we certainly haven’t seen the best of him yet.
This race looks a fascinating prospect but I’m going to side with TRITONIC.
This captivating four-year-old brings excellent form from the flat and impressive form over hurdles and I think he can improve past the favourite.
TAX FOR MAX is one not to be taken lightly at a bigger price especially if he’s more streetwise this time.