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Racing News
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racing_news/
Three-Figure Entries For All Four Novice Hurdles
30/01/06
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The Festival’s four championship novice hurdles have attracted their usual huge entries with the best young talent from Britain, Ireland, France and Germany contributing to 113 entries in the ANGLO IRISH BANK SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE (Tuesday, March 14), 138 in the ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE NOVICES’ HURDLE (Wednesday, March 15), 116 in the JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE and 114 in the BRIT INSURANCE NOVICES’ HURDLE (both on Friday, March 17).
Ireland’s champion trainer Noel Meade has only had one previous
Festival victory but German Group 2 winner Sweet Wake, a 150,000 guineas
purchase at Tattersalls in October, is likely to be warm favourite to
improve that record in the Anglo
Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
The winner of both his hurdling starts is one of 45 Irish-trained entries
as are stablemate Iktitaf and the Edward O’Grady-trained O’Muirchearteigh.
The home team includes Straw Bear, trained by Nick Gifford for J P McManus,
and the Paul Nicholls-trained Noland, who was bought by owner John Hales
for 70,000 guineas at a National Hunt Breeze-Up sale at Cheltenham Racecourse
in December, 2004.
Denman represents Nicholls in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle,
in which Black Jack Ketchum - who scored at Prestbury Park in November
and December - is likely to be saddled by Jonjo O’Neill. The 44
Irish-trained entries include Nicanor and Mr Nosie from Noel Meade’s
stable and the Tom Taaffe-trained Finger Onthe Pulse while the French
challenge includes Arnaud Chaille-Chaille’s Zaiyad.
The JCB
Triumph Hurdle’s entries include the Nicky Henderson-trained
Afsoun, the Paul Nicholls-trained Turko and Mister Hight, one of 34 Irish-trained
entries, while the record eight possible contenders from France include
the Francois Cottin-trained Overlut.
The Brit
Insurance Novices’ Hurdle, a successful addition to the
Festival line-up last year, has attracted another huge entry. Black Jack
Ketchum is also entered in this three-mile event while the 38 Irish-trained
entries include Mags Mullins’ stable star Travino. There are also
four entries from France.
Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham Racecourse’s Managing Director, said: “We
were thrilled a week ago to announce such strong entries for The Festival’s
novice chases, and it is further good news for jump racing’s long-term
future that the four novice hurdles have been so solidly supported. It
is great to see that the Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle, a new
addition to the Festival in 2005, has been so well received with 114
entries.”
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2006
ANALYSIS OF ENTRIES
NUMBER OF ENTRIES
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993
AIB SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE 113 119 106 127 156 139 122 107 130 122 106 87 75 78
RSA NOVICES’ HURDLE 138 147 113 128 169 160 137 120 147 150 128 114 100 90
JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE 116 89 125 111 103 123 89 95 100 108 107 99 81 91
BRIT INS NOVICES’ HURDLE 114 117 First run in 2005
IRISH-TRAINED ENTRIES
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993
AIB SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE 45 41 30 38 46 44 28 24 31 31 29 26 14 24
RSA NOVICES’ HURDLE 44 51 35 39 40 38 34 23 29 31 26 25 17 17
JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE 34 21 38 20 21 31 20 21 20 22 20 20 14 18
BRIT INS NOVICES’ HURDLE 36 40 First run in 2005
FRENCH-TRAINED ENTRIES
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
AIB SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE 4 2 3 3 2 4 3 1 2 1 0 0
RSA NOVICES’ HURDLE 3 2 4 1 2 4 2 1 3 1 0 0
JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE 8 4 7 4 4 5 3 2 0 1 0 0
BRIT INS NOVICES’ HURDLE 4 2 First run in 2005
Martin Pipe’s entries
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993
AIB SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE 7 7 10 14 32 16 22 14 13 8 9 14 10 6
RSA NOVICES’ HURDLE 8 5 13 7 21 19 13 12 15 6 11 13 8 8
JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE 2 3 5 11 12 19 9 13 17 8 8 8 9 7
BRIT INS NOVICES’ HURDLE 4 4 First run in 2005
