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.

2013 JCB Triumph Hurdle Latest Form

Race OverviewPlenty look open to further improvement but Our Conor, Far West and ROLLING STAR have achieved the most so far and they are rightly at the head of the betting. Preference is for Rolling Star, who scored in the manner of a very smart prospect on his British debut here in January, running to an impressive figure for one so inexperienced. Punters looking for an each-way proposition at bigger odds could do worse than the solid-looking Stocktons Wing.[Steve Boow]

Odds provided by Paddypower

No.		Runner	Details	Rating	Odds
1		Cape Explorer D Cook B Ellison	4 yrs / 154 lbs 2	-

CommentCape Explorer

Went close on hurdles debut but this looks too tough

2

Chris Pea Green J E Moore G L Moore

4 yrs / 154 lbs 17116

136

CommentChris Pea Green

Looked a good prospect prior to latest effort (pulled too hard)

3

Diakali (FR) P Townend W Mullins

4 yrs / 154 lbs 112

145

CommentDiakali

Won twice before finishing second to Our Conor at Leopardstown

4

Far West (FR) R Walsh P Nicholls

4 yrs / 154 lbs 3-1111

145

CommentFar West

Unbeaten in four runs for new yard, two at this track; big player

5

Gassin Golf T Scudamore R Lee

4 yrs / 154 lbs 2

-

CommentGassin Golf

Clear promise on hurdles debut but this looks too much too soon

6

Hidden Justice (IRE) P Carberry J J Quinn

4 yrs / 154 lbs 11

143

CommentHidden Justice

Emphatic winner of two northern contests; promising

7

Kashmir Peak (IRE) D C Costello J J Quinn

4 yrs / 154 lbs 11U

139

CommentKashmir Peak

Two wins include a Grade 2; unseated next time; still unexposed

8

King Of Dudes W Hutchinson A King

4 yrs / 154 lbs 142

124

CommentKing Of Dudes

Form is well short of the required standard; cheekpieces on

9

Lac Fontana (FR) D Jacob P Nicholls

4 yrs / 154 lbs 23

133

CommentLac Fontana

Plenty of promise in two good novice hurdles; dark horse

10

Masters Blazing C Bolger John Ryan

4 yrs / 154 lbs 1

-

CommentMasters Blazing

Form of Warwick success leaves him with a lot to find

11

Our Conor (IRE) B J Cooper D Hughes

4 yrs / 154 lbs 111

150

CommentOur Conor

Leading Irish juvenile, unbeaten in three runs, latest a Grade 1

12

Rolling Star (FR) B J Geraghty N Henderson

4 yrs / 154 lbs 11

149

CommentRolling Star

Won both hurdles starts, latest at this track; very promising

13

Sametegal (FR) R Mahon P Nicholls

4 yrs / 154 lbs 1-1213

138

CommentSametegal

Useful but defeat in Taunton handicap isn't ideal going into this

14

Somemothersdohavem Jack Doyle John Ryan

4 yrs / 154 lbs 21

123

CommentSomemothersdohavem

Needs to step up plenty on the form of Doncaster win

15

Stocktons Wing (IRE) A P McCoy C O'Brien

4 yrs / 154 lbs 31221

140

CommentStocktons Wing

Useful form in Graded races last three runs (won Grade 2 latest)

16

Swnymor (IRE) R Johnson T Vaughan

4 yrs / 154 lbs 1F3

143

CommentSwnymor

Had excuses last time and may still confirm earlier promise

17

Vasco Du Ronceray (FR) Jacques Ricou N Henderson

4 yrs / 154 lbs 211232

140

CommentVasco Du Ronceray

More is needed but may improve for the first-time hood

February 2013

The Spring Juvenile Hurdle in Ireland usually decides the best juvenile in Ireland and it certainly did this season as the massively impressive Our Conor claimed the win. The Dessie Hughes horse simply scooted up to take the win at Leopardstown to leave the highly fancied Diakali trailing in his wake. Bryan Cooped had an armchair ride as Our Conor travelled and jumped the best and when he was asked for an effort he pulled well clear of Diakali and Blood Cotil to mark himself out as the main Triumph Hurdle contender from Ireland this season.

Paul Nicholls sent Far West to Ascot for a final run before Cheltenham and the juvenile once again showed his exciting potential. He won the Ironspine Charity Novices Hurdle over two miles from River Maigue and he was trimmed in the Triumph Hurdle betting as a result. The race at Ascot was run at nothing more than a dawdle with Far West showing he was capable of a sprint finish which is unlikely to be needed at the Festival next month.

January 2013

The JCB Triumph Hurdle trial race on Festival Trials day at Cheltenham is always a key race on the road to the Festival and it gave us a thrilling finish this season. It was the hugely exciting Rolling Star who won the race on his first British start for Nicky Henderson and he now enters the Triumph Hurdle picture. Rolling Star picked off Irish Saint up the hill with both horses pulling a mile clear of the field but it was the Henderson horse who impressed the most.

December 2012

One of the first big Triumph Hurdle contenders to emerge from Ireland this season is the highly exciting Our Conor who is trained by Dessie Hughes. He has won twice now this season following his win in the Bar One 3YO Juvenile Hurdle on Hattons Grace Day and it was mightily impressive on soft ground.He beat some nice types that day and connections clearly think the world of him making him a real Triumph Hurdle contender at this stage.

Far West had his third run in as many months at the International Meeting and he once again won in impressive style for Paul Nicholls. There was only three runners in the Triumph Hurdle Trial race and Far West duly hacked up in some style to win by 19 lengths from Handazan on heavy ground and he remains on course for the Festival.

Willie Mullins has a nice juvenile hurdler on his hands this season in the form of the exciting Blood Cotil. He won his second race of the season over Christmas when he won the Oils Juvenile Hurdle on soft ground under an excellent ride from Paul Townend. The bookmakers and punters were very taken with the horse as he won for the second time this season and he is certainly a juvenile to follow closely with Cheltenham in mind.

November 2012

Predictably Nicky Henderson has a nice Juvenile on his hands this season in the form of Vasco Du Ronceray who won his British debut at Hereford at the start of November. Like many he is an exciting French import and while he didn't beat much on the face of it at Hereford he is one to watch for Henderson.

Vaso Du Ronceray made his next start at the Cheltenham Open Meeting in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial and he came up against another prospect in the form of the Paul Nicholls trained Far West. In the end there was only one winner as Far West cruised to an impressive victory over Vasco Du Ronceray. There was certainly a bit of cut in the ground which may have troubled the Henderson horse but it was an emphatic win for Far West.

October 2012

There was a nice bit of early Triumph Hurdle form at Chepstow with Paul Nicholls training Far West to win the BLUESQ.com Juvenile Hurdle ahead of Handazan. Far West is another classy looking French import for Nicholls this season and while it is too early to know how good he is it looks as though Far West is a Juvenile to follow.

• 2011 JCB Triumph Hurdle Form Guide and Runners
• 2012 JCB Triumph Hurdle Form Guide and Card

Cheltenham Festival - Betting Tips