2025 Top Novices' Hurdle Tips

The third race on Day Two of the 2025 Grand National meeting is the Top Novices' Hurdle, with Romeo Coolio the strongest contender in the eyes of the layers. The six-year-old performed well at Cheltenham recently, with a third place being registered in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and a repeat performance could be enough to win at Aintree.

Previously to this, the horse produced such a strong effort to win at Leopardstown over the festive period, with Salvator Mundi having finished fifth in the Supreme and there’s lots to like about a five-year-old who was previously successful at Punchestown. There is a multiple winner in the form of Tripoli Flyer and Fergal O’Brien’s charge has a solid each-way contender.

The horse was impressive when landing the spoils at Kempton Park in February, with the six-year-old having previously won at Musselburgh and Market Rasen. There was also plenty to like about a performance at Chepstow when finishing second to Jurancon. The horse was also able to finish second in a National Hunt Race at Aintree last season.

Gaucher runs for Willie Mullins and there was everything to like about a win at Naas back in March. That was by a distance of eight and a half lengths, with the horse stunning everyone when triumphing at odds of 20/1. Fingle Bridge has also been racking up the wins and could be worthy of an each-way selection at decent betting odds.

2024 Top Novices' Hurdle Tips

The Top Novices’ Hurdle takes place over two miles, half a furlong, with Mystical Power looking like the horse that could take all the beating. Willie Mullins trains a runner who was narrowly beaten in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by one and a half lengths, with Slade Steel able to fend off his rival and the pair could renew acquaintances here.

The latter is a talented six-year-old running for Henry de Bromhead and there was plenty to like about his win at the Cheltenham Festival, with this coming after a smart performance at the Dublin Racing Festival. Finishing second behind Ballyburn by seven lengths now looks like a solid achievement although he might not finish up running in this race.

Firefox is a Gordon Elliott-trained runner with solid credentials and the six-year-old was only five lengths behind Slade Steel in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, with the horse having previously beaten Ballyburn at Fairyhouse in early December. However, Dysart Enos is potentially the horse which is the best value of all.

After all, the Fergal O’Brien-trained runner has been clocking up a series of victories and the latest of these came at Doncaster in late January. That was a seven length win and came after a previous success at Cheltenham. There was also a triumph at Huntingdon and his chances have to be respected here.

2023 Top Novices’ Hurdle Tips

Can Luccia benefit from a mares’ allowance at Aintree Racecourse? She will be carrying 11-0 compared to the 11-7 of her male rivals, with Nico De Boinville on board a runner who was sent off as favourite to win the Mares’ Novice Hurdle at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, although she was unable to beat three of her adversaries and could only finish fourth in the final shake-up.

The horse was the 6/4 favourite on this occasion and she was beaten by You Wear It Well who was sent off at 16/1 and will now take her place in this Aintree showdown, with Jamie Snowden confident of another strong showing. After all, she beat Magical Zoe by nearly three lengths in that encounter and perhaps the bookies still haven’t reacted.

You Wear It Well has won four of her five races this season and will also enjoy the mares’ allowance in this race, with Hermes Allen the only horse to have beaten the filly in the Coral Callow Novices’ Hurdle on New Year’s Eve. There is plenty to be gained from considering the two female market leaders, although Inthepocket will hope to improve on his Cheltenham showing.

Henry de Bromhead’s charge finished fourth to Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and that could end up being strong form considering that he wasn’t too far behind favourite Facile Vega, with the JP McManus-owned charge second to Il Etait Temps in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle and perhaps this is the horse to beat.