Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Tips: 2024 Betting Preview & Trends

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle betting might provide some value for punters this year - even though it's difficult to predict who will run in this race. The upside to that unpredictability is that you can find some attractive prices at the best horse racing betting sites.

The previous two winners have both been short-priced favourites, so this has been a good race for punters in recent years. Bear in mind when reading through our Ballymore Novices' Hurdle tips that 'non-runner no bet' applies for this race at many top online bookies, meaning you will get your stake refunded if the horse you've backed isn't in the field.

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Runners in Focus

Here's an in-depth look at some of the leading contenders for the 2022 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle:

Sir Gerhard

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned Sir Gerhard won the Champion Bumper on his stable debut for Willie Mullins last season and is unbeaten on his two starts over hurdles so far. His only defeat came at the Punchestown festival behind stablemate Kilcruit, when the bumper was more a test of speed rather than stamina.

He won the Grade 1 Novice Hurdle over two miles at Leopardstown last time, defeating Three Stripe Life by six lengths. But he didn’t jump with great fluency and only stretched clear after the final hurdle, implying that a step up in trip would suit him well.

He is a shorter price for this race than the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Expect him to run here - and to hold strong claims if he does.

Read More: Check out Supreme Novices' Hurdle tips

Journey With Me

Connections of Journey With Me have followed the same path as last year’s winner Bob Olinger, who won the same bumper at Gowran Park in March before winning a 2m4f maiden hurdle at Leopardstown in December.

The form of his bumper win doesn’t look special but his hurdling debut was a strong contest where he had Minella Crooner (who finished second in a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival last time) behind him in second and Kilcruit (who won the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Punchestown Festival last season) further back in 3rd.

He recently made it two out of two over hurdles winning an Auction Novice Hurdle at Naas, further enhancing his claims for either this race or the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle over a longer trip.

Stage Star

There are a few negatives surrounding the chances of Stage Star but he appears to be the leading UK contender this year.

The six-year-old was a good bumper performer last season but has taken his form to a new level with three victories over hurdles this season. His latest victory came in the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury, where he won easily by 6½ lengths in a really dominant display.

Trainer Paul Nicholls is yet to win this race and none of the previous 18 Challow Hurdle winners who have come to this race have won it, though six of the last eight have placed.

He holds place claims in the race but isn't top of our Ballymore Novices' Hurdle tips list, as it would be a big surprise if he were to provide the UK with its first win in this race since 2017.

Read More: Queen Mother Champion Chase betting tips

Three Stripe Life

The Gordon Elliott-trained Three Stripe Life ran well to finish 4th in the Champion Bumper last season behind both Sir Gerhard and Kilcruit, and has run with credit on his three starts this season.

He won on hurdling debut at Fairyhouse before finishing behind stablemate Mighty Potter and Sir Gerhard in Grade 1s on his next two starts. Connections may step the six-year-old up in trip for this race but I would still expect both of them to confirm form with him in this race if they were to run.

Read More: Cheltenham Gold Cup tips, betting preview & trends

Whatdeawant

Whatdeawant is the only horse to have beaten Ginto in his career so far and it was an impressive performance that did it on his racecourse debut last season.

He finished well-beaten behind Kilcruit in a bumper at Leopardstown before staying on strongly over 2m4f to win on his hurdling debut at Navan. He was well-backed into 2/1 to uphold form with Ginto in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle last time but he finished a well-beaten fifth and that may force connections to look to the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle instead.

Read More: Ryanair Chase tips, betting preview & trends

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle Odds

• Odds correct as of 16/03/2022 - For full latest odds head over to FansBet

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Trends

• Irish-trained runners have won seven out of the previous eight
• 10 of the previous 13 winners had already won a graded hurdle
• All 18 Challow winners to come to this race didn’t win but six from the last eight have placed
• Previous eight winners were all aged six
• Paul Nicholls is yet to win the race
• Only one of the previous 14 won at an SP of over 8/1

Recent Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Winners