Horsebetting.com experts give their Sharp Novices’ Hurdle betting tips for the 2m contest on a six-race card at Cheltenham on Sunday, 18 November. Seddon impressed when making a winning debut over the obstacles, so looks a worthy favourite to follow-up and land the spoils in this Supreme trial. Itchy Feet has to give weight all-round, but is bidding for a four-timer and therefore rates the main danger. Elixir De Nutz, meanwhile, represents last year’s winning in-form trainer Colin Tizzard and looks the each-way value. Read our in-depth 2018 Sharp Novices’ Hurdle betting tips preview for more details on these horses’ chances on the final day of the November Meeting at Prestbury Park.
Seddon faces five just rivals as he bids to double his tally over the obstacles in the Sharp Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday (15:30). This Tom George trained gelding looks a worthy favourite to land the spoils in the Grade 2 contest over 2m, which is an early season trial for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival here in March.
This five-year-old looked a smart prospect when making a winning debut in a bumper at Musselburgh when staying on strongly to score comfortably by five lengths. He was then far from disgraced when pitched into Grade 1 company and finishing 12th of 23 to Relegate in the Champion Bumper at this year’s Festival.
Seddon appealed as the type that would come into his own when sent hurdling, and that view was confirmed when he landed a 10-runner contest at Stratford earlier in the month. After tracking the leaders and taking a keen hold, he took up the running approaching the last before quickening clear to beat Not That Fuisse by 4 1/2 lengths.
It was a very taking display and the turn of foot shown by Seddon was impressive. George reports him to come out of the race in good form and believes he will learnt plenty and come on a bundle for it. The son of Stowaway needs good ground to be seen to best effect, so the forecast going is perfect.
This does represent a step up in class for Seddon, but he looks an exciting prospect and is expected to take it in his stride en route to better things. Thus he had to be the main selection in our 2018 Sharp Novices’ hurdle betting tips.
Itchy Feet has to concede 5lb to the rest of the field as a result of his game success in a Listed novice hurdle at Kempton Park last month and that is no easy task. However, the Olly Murphy trained four-year-old is now unbeaten in his last three starts and looks an above average sort, so rates the main danger to Seddon.
This French bred son of son Cima De Triomphe showed a really likeable attitude when scoring at the Sunbury-on-Thames venue, finding plenty for pressure when pressed to beat Grand Sancy by 2 1/4 lengths. The runner-up had previously scored in good style at Chepstow, and has since come out and won again at Wincanton.
Leapway, who finished a further 15 lengths back in third, also went into the race right at the top of his game having won five on the bounce, so that gives the form a rock solid look in relation to this. Prior to that success, Itchy Feet had landed a bumper at Stratford before bolting up by seven lengths in a novice hurdle at Southwell.
He is clearly going the right way and Murphy has made no secret of the high regard in which he is held. Itchy Feet is also three from three over the trip and has a 75 per cent strike rate on the ground. So, with regular pilot Gavin Sheehan once again in the plate, he looks sure to make a bold bid to land the four-timer.
Trainer Colin Tizzard saddled Slate House to land the spoils 12 months ago. The in-form handler is represented this time around by the Elixir De Nutz, who shaped with plenty of promise over course and distance last month when runner-up in what looked a decent 13-runner contest.
The four-year-old attempted to make all and, after getting hampered and headed on the run-in, stuck to the task gamely to go down by 3 1/4 lengths to Thomas Darby – a stablemate of Itchy Feet. That was his first start for Tizzard following two runs last season for Philip Hobbs and a much improved effort.
Elixir De Nutz also had some highly-touted sorts in-behind, while the seventh home Amoola Gold has come and and won since. If building on that, this Terry Warner owned gelding should be up to making his presence felt in this. After just three starts in this country, having won a bumper on debut in France, he is certainly open to significant progress.
The small field means that bookmakers are only paying a quarter of the outright odds for two places. That is a shame, but should one of the aforementioned big two fail to fire, then Elixir De Nutz has every chance of making the frame. That’s why he is the each-way punt in our 2018 Sharp Novices’ Hurdle betting tips.