2022 County Hurdle Tips - Side with novices in Gold Cup day handicap

I’ve taken a look through the latest County Hurdle betting and listed some key recurring trends, before picking out my best Cheltenham Festival tips.

The first and second from the Liffey Handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival, Call Me Lyreen and Magic Tricks have been treated rather harshly by the British handicapper and top the weights for this competitive handicap. I still expect both to take their chance, with Gordon Elliott likely to call upon claimers to ease their burdens.

Willie Mullins boasts an impressive record in the County Hurdle, winning five of the last 12 renewals. His squad could feature the classy Echoes In Rain, who won a Grade One last season and could drop into handicap company for the first time. Dan Skelton has also enjoyed plenty of success in this handicap, saddling three of the last six winners, and he could throw impressive Greatwood Hurdle winner, West Cork into the mix.

Backing an unexposed novice is clearly the way to go with the County Hurdle and there are plenty of talented youngsters to choose from. State Man holds a host of entries, but it looks like Willie Mullins will send his inexperienced five-year-old to the County. Top Bandit has already won around Cheltenham for Gordon Elliott this season. As has Nigel Twiston-Davies’ I Like To Move It, who was last seen finishing a very close second in the Betfair Hurdle.

Slip Of The Tongue could be a player for Paddy Roche. My Mate Mozzie would be a big danger if Gavin Cromwell decided to come to the County at the Cheltenham Festival. Lorna Fowler’s Colonel Mustard brings plenty of placed form in Graded races to the table, so he cannot be ruled out either.

In the end, I’ve gone for FAROUT, who ran in a Grade Three juvenile on his stable debut for Willie Mullins last season, having shown some decent form on the flat in France.

Farout opened his account in Ireland with an easy maiden hurdle win at Cork last May, before following up under a penalty at the Galway Festival. Mullins’ grey was then sent off as the odds-on favourite for another novice hurdle at Listowel, but some poor jumps opened the door for Off Your Rocco to come through and claim a comfortable win.

Farout has since run in three competitive Grade Ones. Sean O’Keeffe’s mount travelled nicely in the Royal Bond, but couldn’t pick up as well as My Mate Mozzie and Statuaire and finished fourth as Mighty Potter came through. O’Keeffe’s mount was then held up off the pace twice around Leopardstown, then finishing third behind Mighty Potter and Three Stripe Life at Leopardstown over Christmas before a lengthy defeat at the hands of Sir Gerhard last time out.

His run at the Dublin Racing Festival aside, Farout is a strong traveller and showed a nice turn-of-foot when winning his maidens during the summer. This opening handicap mark of 142 doesn’t look overly harsh and he looks the type who will deal with the hustle and bustle of a large-field handicap.

I’m a big fan of Nicky Henderson’s novice FIRST STREET, who won two good ground novice hurdle during the summer, including an emphatic win over future two-time winner, The Brimming Water. Henderson’s five-year-old then ran in the Persian War at Chepstow, but was far too keen in the early stages and didn’t see out that 21-furlong trip.

First Street was then freshened up for a handicap at Kempton in January, where Nico De Boinville’s mount made light of top-weight and cantered to an impressive victory. I then tipped First Street to in the Betfair Hurdle. James Bowen’s mount didn’t jump all that fluently and had to switch paths a couple of times are crucial stages, but finished off his race really well to place third, just three lengths adrift of the top two.

Despite running really well under 11-6 at Newbury, the handicapper has only upped First Street’s mark by a pound to 142. Henderson’s charge is a powerful traveller, who will relish good ground and remains open to further improvement. He’ll be my second and last selection on day four of the Cheltenham Festival.