2025 BetMGM Elite Hurdle Betting Tips

Rubaud is likely to be a warm order for the BetMGM Elite Hurdle, with Paul Nicholls training a seven-year-old who has now gone odds-on for a victory at Wincanton. The latest effort was a victory at Kempton Park when the 10/11 favourite was able to oblige by a length. That came after wind surgery, with the horse previously winning at Kempton back in February.

There was a solid fifth-placed effort in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree when the 16/1 shot performed well in this Group One encounter. It was more of a struggle at Punchestown before the op when finishing second last in the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase, with the seven-year-old expected to be the one to beat.

Gibbs Island is an interesting contender and the four-year-old was an impressive performer at Chepstow recently. The 9/2 shot was able to score in a hurdle race over two miles, claiming a victory by five and a half lengths. This came after finishing eighth at Aintree back in April when running in a four-year-old juvenile hurdle.

Knappers Hill is the oldest contender in the field, with the runner returning to the track two years after a previous outing. The 4/5 favourite won at Wincanton in November 2023, with the horse having previously been a classy performer. In April 2023, the 11/2 chance was able to win the Grade Two Select Hurdle over two miles, five and a half furlongs.

2024 Elite Hurdle Tips

Rubaud is a horse who deserves plenty of respect and he’ll go off as favourite to win the BetMGM Elite Hurdle, with the runner likely to perform well over one mile and seven furlongs. The six-year-old was able to see off seven other runners at Kempton recently and it was a striking performance which saw the charge enjoy a sizeable victory.

Previously to this, there was a sixth-placed finish out of fifteen runners at Ayr. That was in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, with the horse struggling to stay the two-mile trip, although there’s a chance that he’s the class runner in the race. Nemean Lion returns to action after a lengthy absence and Kerry Lee trains a seven-year-old with potential.

The horse ran in esteemed company in the previous two outings, finishing second last in the Aintree Hurdle after sixth out of eight in the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle. However, there was a success in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton where there was everything to like about a performance in a Grade 2 encounter on heavy ground.

Brentford Hope is a seven-year-old who finished second last time out, with Harry Derham seeing his charge finish second out of twenty-four runners. That was in a competitive handicap hurdle at Punchestown over two miles, half a furlong. Previously to this, there were successes at Haydock and Newcastle which suggests a bright future.

2023 Elite Hurdle Tips

Rubaud won’t be easily beaten when it comes to the Jenningsbet Elite Hurdle, with the five-year-old having landed a string of recent victories. The latest of these came in October at Kempton Park, with the horse winning a listed race by nearly three lengths. That came after winning the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr in what was a highly competitive encounter.

The charge travelled strongly throughout the two mile trip and was able to edge out Colonel Mustard by three lengths in the end, with this definitely being the horse to beat here. However, Hansard returns for a seasonal debut and there has to be respect afforded to the Gary Moore-trained charge based on previous efforts.

In the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree Racecourse, the runner was sent off at odds of 40/1 before finishing a credible fourth place behind Inthepocket, Strong Leader and Luccia. However, this horse has fifteen lengths to find on Rubaud after the pair ran in the same race at Kempton back in February and perhaps that’s too much of a gap to bridge.

West Balboa is a seven-year-old with solid credentials and there was plenty to like about a performance in the Village Hotels Handicap Hurdle at Aintree, with the Dan Skelton-trained charge obliging by five lengths over three miles. The horse previously won the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton and this looks a decent each-way shout.