Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival is titled ‘Ladies Day’, and proceedings kick off with the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle,
This Grade One race over 2 miles and 5 furlongs requires speed and stamina in equal measure and is for the best middle-distance prospects aged four and upwards.
It’s a race won by some of the top names in hurdling, including Istabraq, who won the race in 1997 before winning the Champion Hurdle on three occasions.
In recent years, it’s a race that has been dominated by Irish-trained horses, with just four British winners since 2010.
Read on for Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle odds, tips and free bets.
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Betting Offers & Free Bets
| Race Details | |
|---|---|
| When: | Wednesday, March 13th, 1.30pm |
| Prize: | £125,000 |
| Distance: | Two-miles & five furlongs |
| Race Type: | Grade 1 Novice Hurdle |
| Age: | 4-Years+ |
| Course: | Old Course |
| Weights: | 10st 12lb (4yo), 11st 7lb (5yo+), 7lb allowance for fillies & mares |
| Where to Watch? | ITV Racing, Racing TV, Bookmaker Streams |
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Betting Tips
The first race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival always tends to set the tone for the meeting. This is because we often see some strongly fancied runners in this one, so people always have a big opinion.
You can check out Alan Kelly’s racing tips and Charlie McCann’s racing tips to see what our resident tipsters fancy for the day two opener.
More Cheltenham Tips
Check out our predictions and tips for all the other Cheltenham Day 2 races:
- Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Tips
- Coral Cup Tips
- Queen Mother Champion Chase Tips
- Cross Country Chase Tips
- Grand Annual Handicap Chase Tips
- Champion Bumper Tips
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Betting Odds
Check back closer to the Cheltenham Festival for the latest Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle odds and betting chat.
Looking for betting offers for this race? Check out our Cheltenham Free Bets page for all the latest ones!
What Happened Last Year?
It was yet another Ballymore winner for trainer Willie Mullins, his sixth success in the race, as Imparire Et Passe outclassed the field under jockey Paul Townend.
Sent off the 5/2 second favourite, Imparire Et Passe cruised through the race and took the lead turning into the straight before powering clear up the Cheltenham hill to win with stablemates Gaelic Warrior and Champ Kiely in behind to give Mullins a 1-2-3 in the race.
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Key Stats
- The last 23 winners of this race were aged either five or six
- Nine of the last 12 winners came from the front three in the betting
- Ten of the last 11 winners finished first or second in all previous hurdle runs
- Nine of the last 10 winners were Irish-trained
Previous Winners of the Ballymore Novices Hurdle
We’ve listed the last five winners of the Ballymore in the table below.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Impaire Et Passe |
| 2022 | Sir Gerhard |
| 2021 | Bob Olinger |
| 2020 | Envoi Allen |
| 2019 | City Island |
FAQs
What day is the Ballymore Hurdle at Cheltenham?
The Ballymore Novices' Hurdle is the first race on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival which always falls on a Wednesday. In 2024 this will be on Wednesday, March 13th.
What distance is the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham?
The race is run over a distance of about two miles and five furlongs (4,225 metres).
Who won the Ballymore Novices Hurdle in 2023?
The Willie Mullins-trained Impaire Et Passe won the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle in 2023.
What time is the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle?
The Ballymore Novices Hurdle is the first race on Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival (the Wednesday) and is due off at 1.30 pm.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/xlmedia/FISA2YQUGBHAVGLXUQBQI3O5MU.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/xlmedia/56S6DLBPX5BDZP4V3X7QEIJ7SI.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/xlmedia/AKNRBJBJH5GV5DXNWMOLG3SSQE.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/xlmedia/D27DLDIXHJHS3FHUU2U3FOISUE.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/xlmedia/BTJTTBAC5VEK3FPFUWW72OCJ64.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/xlmedia/5U4AQ6ZPRRFLTBP6MX3CEBOZMU.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/xlmedia/MMRPQAXOMVHTLH5JPJE2CTYMT4.png)