County Hurdle Tips

Of the last 14 runnings of the County Hurdle, a quite extraordinary 10 of them have been won by either Willie Mullins or Dan Skelton, as Mullins has notched up 6 of them to Skelton’s 4.

Mullins could easily have 7 runners in Friday’s opening handicap, as that many are guaranteed a run in the race following the confirmation stage today, whereas given Knickerbockerglory and Faivoir ran in the Imperial Cup, it seems Skelton is solely relying on Betfair Hurdle 3rd L’Eau Du Sud.

Law of averages suggests that it could easily go to Mullins again, and skimming through his entries further, I feel there’s more than an average chance of him landing it with last year’s Triumph Hurdle 3rd Zenta.

At 14/1 each-way with Bet365 for 5 places, Zenta also holds an entry for Tuesday’s Mares Hurdle, but she clearly has a better winning chance in the County Hurdle, as opposed to probably a midfield finish at best if she went for that tougher Grade 1.

The worry if you’re a backer of Zenta for the County Hurdle is that owner JP McManus doesn’t have any other representatives in the Mares Hurdle, as opposed to a host of chances in the County Hurdle, but I think we know enough about McManus to know that he’s all about winning Cheltenham Festival races, and not just having a social runner!

Last year’s two Friday races over the 2m1f trip on the hurdles track of the New Course are quite telling when it comes to a few of the leading players in Friday’s County Hurdle, over the same course and distance of course.

Zenta in 3rd in the Triumph Hurdle ran a race full of promise on just her second hurdle start for Mullins, and on the clock was extremely closely matched with Faivoir and Pied Piper in the County, and so too (although somewhat less reliable) was the fact that she was closely matched to the run of Magical Zoe (entered here too) in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle the day before.

Given Zenta won a Grade 1 at Aintree on her next start, and massively caught the eye on her return to hurdles at the Dublin Racing Festival, I am of the firm belief that she has improved a huge amount since that day, given she is just a 5-year-old mare.

At 14/1 each-way with Bet365 for 5 places, despite that Mares Hurdle entry, I want to lock in that price now, as surely if she is declared then she’ll be a shorter price come the day.

Closely matched on the bare form with Magical Zoe at Leopardstown last time, the fact that Magical Zoe is seemingly best fresh, and the fact that Zenta made some really eye-catching smooth ground from the rear when the front-runners were quickening that day, means that she was much better than the bare form, and the one who appeals much the most of all the County entrants at the prices at this stage.

Steve Mullington’s County Hurdle Tips

One horse that towers head and shoulders above his rivals in the County Hurdle is Sharjah. He really does look a class above the others with a non-derogatory nod to his fellow competitors.

The ten-year-old is having his second start in a handicap hurdle and the first one just so happened to be the Galway Hurdle which he lifted in 2018.  Trading at 8/1 with most bookmakers, he has to be a really confident each-way punt, especially if you go with one of those paying the extra places.

Also of interest is Anna Bunina who had a nice little warm up for this in a Grade 3 at Punchestown last time. Handicaps are much more her scene and off a mid-range weight and with a claimer on board, I can think of plenty of worse 40/1 shots you could be betting on at The Festival.

Other horses here that look far too big in the betting are Milkwood (25/1) and former Royal Bond scorer Ballyadam (18/1).