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WHO WILL WIN THE SUPREME NOVICES HURDLE TO KICK OFF CHELTENHAM 2019?

8/1 shot Summerville Boy won 2018’s Supreme Novices Hurdle to kick off the Cheltenham Festival, as 11/8 favourite Getabird failed to deliver. The famous Cheltenham roar will be heard on Tuesday 12th March 2019, with Annamix the current favourite to win the opening race of the festival.

The French horse last raced in September 2016 and finished in second place behind Mick Taros. He missed the whole season due to a pelvis injury, preventing him from making his debut for Willie Mullins’ team.

The closest challengers to Annamix for the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival 2019 are Tornado Flyer and Didtheyleaveuoutto, who are both priced at 12/1. Tornado Flyer, who is also trained by Willie Mullins, has competed in two races since the 2018 Cheltenham Festival, both at Punchestown racecourse. The first he ran in April 2018 and won the race, finishing ahead of 9/4 favourite Blackbow despite being priced at 12/1. The second he won on 9th December 2018, this time running as the favourite at odds of 4/9. He finished 2 ¾ lengths ahead of second place Take Revenge.

Didtheyleaveuoutto has also competed in two races since the last Cheltenham Festival, winning the Pudding Norton “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle at Fakenham racecourse in October this year. He followed this up with victory at Ascot in the David Brownlow Charitable Foundation “Introductory” Hurdle, seeing off the challenge from the 15/8 favourite Thomas Darby. If the Irish horse, trained by Nick Gifford, can keep his form going into the first race of the festival, then expect a decent challenge to Annamix and Tornado Flyer.

Three horses are currently tied at odds of 16/1 to win the opening race of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival. Thomas Darby, Quick Grabim and Eldorado Allen are all seen as having a reasonable chance of winning the Supreme Novices Hurdle against the background of the Cheltenham roar. Thomas Darby’s most recent race was the second placed finish behind Didtheyleaveuoutto at Ascot but prior to that he won the Foundation Developments Ltd Maiden Hurdle at Cheltenham in October 2018.

Quick Grabim will be another Willie Mullins-trained horse in the race, and he looks to build on his early season momentum. Since September 2018 he has raced in four races, winning three and finishing fourth in the other. In his three victories, he began the race as the favourite and duly delivered on his status. His fourth place finish was a disappointment as he ran as the second favourite, behind Felix Desjy, who finished in seventh.

Colin Tizzard-trained horse Eldorado Allen won his first race of the season, beating the favourite, Sevarano, in the Maiden Hurdle at Sandown on 11th November 2018, but in the following race, the Novices’ Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier at Aintree, he unseated his jockey, Tom O’Brien. Although a win was a good start to the new season, his second race will have brought doubts about his potential to win the Supreme Novices Hurdle to kick off the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.

While Annamix may be the current favourite, should any of his competitors gain further momentum in the coming races, then expect the odds to shift.

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