Cheltenham Festival Clues: Neptune Investments Novices Hurdle

Briar Hill (IRE) 6-y-o (23Feb08 b g)

Shantou (USA) – Backaway (IRE) (Bob Back (USA) (12.4f))

W P Mullins

Following a convincing win in an Irish-Point at Necarne, Briar Hill was purchased for £100,000 at the DBS sales in May 2012. Making his racecourse debut at Thurles, he made most to comfortably win his Bumper. Sent over to Cheltenham for the Festival Bumper, the Mullins/Walsh supporters were rewarded by an impressive win at the rewarding odds of 25/1. Having been held-up in rear, he made headway down the hill. Asked to go about his business two-furlongs from home the gelding powered clear in the final furlong.

Returning to action in mid-November, he comfortably won his maiden hurdle round Wexford’s tight right-handed track. An exercise that would have helped his education. Sent to Navan for the Grade One Navan Novice Hurdle, he made all the running. Jumping well, prior to hitting the third and second last, he recovered with a good jump at the last, before going clear on the run-in.

Next up was Naas and the Slaney Hurdle. Once again, he jumped well until making his one mistake at the last. Recovering well, he stayed on dourly up the run-in. He was conceding 7lb and 10lb to the second and third, both useful sorts in their own right. Indeed, a line through the third suggests Briar Hill comes out 3lb better than dual Grade One winner The Tullow Tank. Briar Hill has shown he can handle both the hullabaloo that goes with Cheltenham and big fields, which bodes well for this year’s Festival. I personally believe he will prove best coming off a fast pace and for that reason suggest the Neptune Investments Novices Hurdle is the race he should go for. In addition, the stable houses Faugheen who has already showed he stays the three-miles of the Albert Bartlett. Incidentally, that race has so far eluded the master of Closutton.

FSF Ratings* – Novice Hurdlers

FSF rating = Form and speed combined rating. Based on the horse’s best performance over the last twelve months.