Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle tips: 1.45 Cheltenham win and each-way picks

The Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle kicks off proceedings on day two of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival. 

There have been some outstanding winners of this 2m 5f contest over the years, such as the subsequent Champion Hurdle heroes Faugheen, Hardy Eustace and Istabraq.

Willie Mullins has a particularly strong hand in this year’s renewal, saddling five of the eight runners including the highly touted Ballyburn.

Cheltenham 1.45 Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle tips

Colm Doyle’s fancies for the big race are below. Scroll down to read the expert analysis behind them. 

Odds, correct at time of publishing, may be subject to change.

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Feel the Burn in the opener

Only eight runners go to post for Wednesday’s opening race but there is no shortage of quality with leading novice Ballyburn setting an extremely high standard.

The destination of Ballyburn has been subject of much debate in the build-up to the Cheltenham Festival, with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Tuesday his expected target for a long time after his victory in a two-mile Grade 1 contest at the Dublin Racing Festival.

But it’s easy to see why Mullins has opted for the longer race when you take the horse’s pedigree into account. The son of Flemensfirth is a full brother to five winners, including Noble Endeavour, Minella Daddy and Planet Nine, four of whom excelled over this sort of trip or further.

He looks like a real staying prospect for the future and should have no problem getting the better of his rivals here if he finds any improvement from his run at Leopardstown last month, when he routed a decent field by seven lengths.

Ballyburn could have won by even further that day and the form has a rock-solid look to it with classy pair Slade Steel (winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Tuesday) and King Of Kingsfield filling the places. 

The ground has also come right for the favourite and although he was beaten by Firefox earlier in the campaign, that can be excused as they crawled round and the race turned into a sprint.

This will be a true test of stamina and he looks capable of getting favourite backers off to a flying start on day two.

Selection: Ballyburn @ 2/5 with bet365

Stamina key for Predators Gold

One that may be capable of outrunning his odds and hitting the frame is Predators Gold, another Mullins runner, in the Gigginstown colours.

He was too keen when a beaten favourite at the Dublin Racing Festival last month, but he has finished second in two Grade 1 races this term and he wasn’t ideally positioned to show his best at Leopardstown last time when conceding first run to the winner Dancing City.

The drop in trip looks likely to help him settle and, given that, he could be the one to give Ballyburn most to think about.

Selection: Predators Gold @ 10/1 with bet365

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