Formby Novices' Hurdle Tips: Back this improver to strike at Aintree
It’s the inaugural running of the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day and the race formerly known at the Tolworth Hurdle is set to be an absolutely rip-snorting renewal on Tuesday. Our man Steve Chambers tries to find the winner for the event here…
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Nicky Henderson has been the man to follow in the Tolworth Hurdle in recent times as the Seven Barrows handler has trained the winner on six separate occasions, including most recently Constitution Hill in the 2022 renewal. The legendary handler will hope to once again unearth a superstar in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle.
He will saddle the inexperienced Jango Baie, who has only been seen once under Rules, but the four-year-old was an impressive winner on his sole start at Ascot back in November and he is sure to improve on that effort. The form has been franked with the second that day Tellherthename going on to win a maiden hurdle at Huntingdon and that pair had pulled well clear of their rivals that day to leave a lasting impression. Already a 33/1 shot for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Jango Baie is a fascinating runner, but at the odds he could be worth taking on and you have to take note of Tellherthename, who is also entered in this event and has to be respected.
Gordon Elliott’s Farren Glory holds some top entries over the festive period and it will be interesting to see if he lines up here. Last seen storming to victory in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse, Elliott’s raider is the proven class act in the race and if he was to take his chance then he is arguably the one to beat and has already proven to be a notch novice hurdler.
Runner-up in the Grade 2 Sharp Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, Fergal O’Brien’s Kamsinas improved immeasurably when landing the Grade 2 Newton Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock and he’s one that is entitled to take his chance in this event, but may just lack the quality needed to win a fascinating Grade 1 event.
Way down the field in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March, Alan King’s FAVOUR AND FORTUNE has improved significantly for the switch to the hurdling sphere and wins at Hereford and Wetherby have earned him the right to line up here. This is a whole lot tougher, but he’s yet to reach his ceiling so far this season and could be a solid punt in this event. He stayed on well to land victory last time out and in this fiercely run contest he could be doing all his best work in the closing stages and could well grind his rivals down to land his first Graded prize.
Of the others, Florida Dreams was a winner at the second time of asking for Nicky Richards and is one that could continue to improve as the season goes on, while the likes of Lookaway and Jackpot D’Athou add more depth to what should be a really informative renewal on Boxing Day.