Jcb Triumph Hurdle Form

Previous winners such as Katchit and Detroit City highlighted how their form in the build up to the race was important to allowing punters the opportunity to pick out the winner. We often see a decent sized field in the Triumph with plenty of excellent young juveniles hoping to make the big step up at the Festival.

We have been following the main contenders right through the season, all of the well backed horses are featured from their first run right through until the Cheltenham Festival. One race that we focused on this year is the Juvenile Novices' Hurdle trial at the Cheltenham trials day, we often see some nice types in this one and we are expecting this year to be no different.

2012 JCB Triumph Hurdle Latest Form

The first Triumph Hurdle Trial race this season has taken place at the Open Meeting at Cheltenham and we had an impressive winner in Hinterland who beat Hollow Tree into second. The Paul Nicholls trained horse won in style on his first run in Britain and he looks like a progressive type who should improve as we get closer to the Festival in March.

Hinterland also ran well in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial race at the International Meeting at the start of December but was only second to the excellent Baby Mix who was slashed in the betting as a result. The Tom George horse simply hacked up to put his name into the frame and he looks a real star of the future based on that run at Cheltenham.

Alan King looks to have a good young hurdler on his hands in the form of Grumeti and he could be a live Triumph Hurdle contender. The horse had some success on the flat but was very impressive on his debut over hurdles when he won the Totequadpot Novices Hurdle at Taunton at the end of December. He beat the exciting Ted Spread into second place by a big 14 lengths and on that form he looks one to follow this season. Grumeti next appeared at Newbury in a Juvenile Hurdle but fell two out when cruising to victory for Wayne Hutchinson, he lost his unbeaten record but was still trimmed for Cheltenham and could be anything at this stage.

Grumeti next appeared in the Triumph Hurdle Trial on Cheltemham Trials Day where he was involved in a titanic tussle with the impressive Pearl Swan. Grumeti crossed the line in second place but was awarded the win in the stewards room after Pearl Swan was adjudged to have bumped him on the run in. Pearl Swan was slashed for the Triumph as a result of this run and it will be an intriguing rematch at the Festival. It is worth noting that Baby Mix had a stinker and in the same race and deserves a second chance to prove himself.

Phillip Hobbs has the exciting Sadlers Risk in his yard this season who after some good performances on the flat has now taken to hurdles. The horse made his jumping debut in the Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton and he simply hacked up to outclass the field and enter the Triumph Hurdle picture. Sadlers Risk is likely to have a couple more runs before the Festival and he looks a horse to keep an eye on.

The Highclere owned Ranjaan looks like a potential Triumph Hurdle contender after two good wins recently for Paul Nicholls. The horse was an expensive buy but he looks a talent after he won at Kempton over Christmas before following up at Taunton in the Betfair Handicap Hurdle more recently. Like so many at this level he could still be anything at this stage but he has shown potential and seems to be improving which is a good sign for Triumph.

Paul Nicholls also has another exciting french import in his yard this year in the form of Dildar who won on his British debut at Taunton recently. The horse has good form on the flat behind Pour Moi last year and connections will be hoping he can follow in the steps of Zarkandar who followed the same route before winning the triumph in 2011.

• 2011 JCB Triumph Hurdle Form Guide and Runners

Cheltenham Festival - Betting Tips