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Challow Novices’ Hurdle tip:
The Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle over two miles four and a half furlongs at Newbury has long proven a stepping stone to better things for many of National Hunt racing’s biggest stars.
The trainer-jockey partnership of Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden have made the Grade 1 race their own in recent years, winning the last three renewals with now firmly established chasing stars Bravemansgame, Stage Star and Hermes Allen.
The partnership will have high hopes that they can continue their domination in the race with Captain Teague, who was third in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham Festival in March.
In October, the five-year-old made a promising winning hurdling debut in Chepstow's Grade 2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle.
Although looking far from the polished article, Captain Teague pleasingly went about his business and kept on well to win with plenty in hand.
He was next seen out at Cheltenham, where he was giving weight to all of his rivals, but he could have come up against a smart sort in Minella Missile, who was given an enterprising ride and allowed to steal the lead turning for home.
Captain Teague rallied well, but the race had gone. Minella Missile – who has sidestepped this event – is entered in a competitive hurdles race at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and is also worth noting for the future.
It was, however, another very promising effort from Captain Teague, and there is very likely a good deal more improvement to come. After steady support on Thursday and Friday, he is now a best-price of 7/2 on horse racing betting sites.
He faces some promising sorts at Newbury this weekend but could claim the £48,000 plus winners’ purse and can move on to better things as the season progresses.
Tip: Saturday 15.00 Newbury – Captain Teague 7/2 with BoyleSports
Challow Novices’ Hurdle contenders
The race also sees some other potentially useful novice hurdlers taking their chance, none more so than the unbeaten pairing of Willmount and Johnnywho.
The former, who figures prominently in the ante-post betting in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival in March, is a warm favourite to take his winning streak to four.
A winner of both of his starts in moderate National Hunt flat races before joining trainer Nicky Henderson, he then made short work of his rivals at this course on his hurdles bow in early November.
That was over a considerably shorter trip than the journey he faces in this much tougher-looking test.
Willmount may prove useful, but his lofty position at the head of the market on betting sites seems fuelled more by reputation than solid form. His ability to see out the extra four furlongs has to be taken on trust, but presumably, connections do not see this as an issue.
Johnnywho made his hurdling debut at the beginning of November over two-and-a-half miles at Carlisle, and while it is hard to gauge the strength of the opposition, he could not have made it look any more straightforward.
Although he was a touch awkward taking the final hurdle, Johhnywho never really broke a sweat, and there could be any amount of improvement in the Jonjo O’Neill-trained six-year-old.
Paul Nicholls is also represented by Farnoge, who has won both starts over hurdles. He impressed in the latest at Ascot. Although appearing to get a little lonely when in front approaching the final flight, he responded well when asked a question and kept on strongly.
Harry Cobden rode him on that occasion, and the fact that he has chosen to ride Captain Teague would suggest that he is the horse who is the stable’s number one for this contest.
Bryony Frost takes the ride on Farnoge and was on board when steering him to a successful winning debut in a national hunt flat race at Uttoxeter in March.
From the remainder, Neil King’s Lookaway has the best credentials. A three-time winner over hurdles, he has shown steady improvement with each outing and would not need to find much more to make his presence felt in this company.
With plenty of potential top-class performers going to post, much will have been learnt come the finish of the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle.
How to claim free horse racing bets
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Boyles are giving new customers a £20 free bet if they deposit and bet a minimum of £10 via mobile, so long as the odds backed on the qualifying stake are evens (1/1) or above.
All you have to do is sign up on a mobile device at the above link and follow the steps to qualify for the offer. The free bet will be credited upon your qualifying stake being settled and will expire within seven days.
Be sure to read terms and conditions on this BoyleSports sign-up offer to ensure it suits your intentions, and please remember to gamble responsibly.
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
