2024 Betfair Hurdle Ante-Post Tip – DS
2024 Betfair Hurdle Ante-Post Tip
We landed a nice touch in this contest in 2022 with our 20/1 NAP Glory And Fortune. Dave Stevos is hoping for more of the same with his 2024 Betfair Hurdle Ante-Post tip. Find out who he is backing below.
2024 Betfair Hurdle Ante-Post Selection
While the ground is currently described as good at Newbury, that won’t be the case on Saturday if the weather forecasters are correct. There’s 8mm of rain due to fall on Tuesday and another 35mm across Thursday and Friday and if that comes the ground will surely be on the testing side.
The ante-post favourite, Ocastle Des Mottes, is trained by Willie Mullins. He has won on slow ground in France and he has been awarded a UK mark of 133. The form of his last win hasn’t exactly worked out brilliantly and I don’t think that his rating is a gift.
However, just like the handicapper, I am only guessing really because that French form is always hard to weigh up. The main reason he is favourite is probably because of who trains him and also the fact that he handled heavy ground in France.
Testing Conditions
There are other horses in here that are also proven in testing conditions and their form is slightly easier to analyse. The one I have come down on has form with a lovely horse of Dianne Sayer’s that ran at Musselburgh on Sunday.
Bertie’s Ballet, who Norman Fletcher finished behind last time out at Haydock on heavy ground, was heavily backed for that Class 2 novice race and he ran a cracker to finish 2nd, despite not jumping brilliantly. I think he’s going to possibly be a 130+ horse in time and Norman Fletcher was 1.5L behind him at Haydock, conceding 3lbs,
Handicap Debutant
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 5yo comes into this race off a mark of 124. On that Bertie’s Ballet form, that could be workable. Yes, he is a handicap debutant, which regular readers will know I usually don’t like, but he has run five times over hurdles in maidens and novices so he is more experienced than most handicap debutants usually are.
Norman Fletcher isn’t the biggest of horses but he has plenty of heart. He battled on well on both of his last starts and he also displayed an ability to quicken clear from the front, usually an asset in these types of races. He’s also been ridden more patiently so tactically, he is versatile.
Jumping Issues
Now, as you would imagine with a 33/1 shot it isn’t all good news. This fella can put in the occasional big jump and if he does that at the wrong moment at Newbury, it could be costly. However, his technique has improved with every race so hopefully, he puts in a nice round on Saturday.
James Turner claimed 7lbs off him at Haydock last time. He got a nice tune out of his mount and maybe that was a sighter for this race. With his claim, Norman Fletcher would effectively be running off 117. He handles soft/heavy ground, if the rain doesn’t arrive he also acts on better ground and while he can lead, he doesn’t have to. At odds of 33/1, back Norman Fletcher e/w.
