Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle

The Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle race is a two mile and five furlong contest run around the old racecourse at Cheltenham on the second day of the famous festival.

Novice hurdlers of four-years-old and up are permitted to race and compete for the prize purse of roughly £100,000. The race was drafted onto the Cheltenham Festival schedule as a way of filling the second day when the festival was expanded to four days.

Background of the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle

The background of the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle is interesting and dates back to 1971 when the first version of the race took place. The race has always carried the name of the sponsor since 1974 when Sun Alliance paid for the privilege.

The background of the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle has produced some of the finest winners in the history of the Cheltenham Festival. Itís one of the few races at the four day event that can produce a winner from anywhere in the field because of the eight pound difference between minimum and maximum weights.

The Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle has only ever been postponed once. That occurrence happened in 2001 due to the foot and mouth crisis in the United Kingdom at the time.

Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle Leading Jockey

The Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle leading jockey is Charlie Swan who has ridden three winners in the history of the race. Swan led Danoli to the title in 1994, Urubande in 1996 and Istabraq in 1997.

Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle Leading Trainer

A total of eight trainers share the title for Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle leading trainer with two wins each. These trainers are; Mick O'Toole, Edward O'Grady, Oliver Sherwood, Martin Pipe, David Nicholson, Nigel Twiston-Davies, Aiden O'Brien and Willie Mullins.

Betting for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle

Betting for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle is interesting because although the race is less high profile than others at the Cheltenham Festival, a good deal of money is still taken.

Betting for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle varies because of the weight difference in the horses. Four-year-olds in the race have a minimum weight requirement much lower than that for five-year-olds in the race. This is designed to level the playing field and create a more even finish.

There are a total of ten fences to be jumped during the race and a heavily priced favourite can be just as liable to make a mistake as any other horse. This means there is always good value in the betting for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

Peddlers Cross

Peddlers Cross is the current title holder for this race. Peddlers Cross won the race as a five-year-old at the Cheltenham Festival last year. Jason Maguire currently holds the jockey title and Peddlers Cross is Maguireís second winning ride in the history of the event. 

Peddlers Cross is a Donald McCain horse that is fancied to have a long and successful career in National Hunt racing and participation at the Cheltenham Festival.