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Thursday 9th January 2025
   

Is The New Lion the Most Exciting Novice Hurdler In the UK?

The New Lion has caught the headlines on and off the track this season. Dan Skelton’s runner won the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury during the festive period, while just a few weeks later, he was sold to leading owner J. P. McManus.

Unbeaten now in four starts, The New Lion heads to the Cheltenham Festival as one of the most exciting novice hurdlers in the sport. Some would argue he is the most exciting young horse in training right now.

Turners Novices’ Hurdle the Next Target

After his victory at Newbury, where he scored by just over five lengths, The New Lion is now the 11/4 favourite in the horse racing odds for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, the opening race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

Skelton has given his talented novice multiple entries at the meeting in March. He has Cheltenham odds of 20/1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and 25/1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

The New Lion has excelled over distances between 2m3½f and 2m4½f this season, so Skelton is likely to stick to the middle distance in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. The race has been dominated by Irish horses in recent years, with Ireland taking the last seven renewals. Skelton will be hoping to break that stronghold on the trophy this season.

Future Is Very Bright for Skelton’s Star

Although the Turners Novices’ Hurdle remains the focus for Skelton, his horse has been tipped to be a future Champion Hurdle or Champion Gold Cup contender. The fact he is being linked with both of those races indicates he is not only talented but also versatile.

The New Lion’s latest owner is someone who has had a lot of success in the leading races in the sport, and he will be hoping his new horse can add to his CV. McManus is a nine-time winner of the Champion Hurdle, he prevailed in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2012 with Synchronised, while he has landed the Grand National on three occasions.

McManus has opted to keep his new horse with Skelton, and the novice hurdler could play a big role in helping his handler win a first British Trainers’ Championship this season. The Lodge Hill-based trainer has a healthy lead at the top of the latest standings, but he will know there is a lot of prize money up for grabs at the Cheltenham Festival.

Potters Charm Set to Rival The New Lion

One of the biggest rivals to The New Lion at Cheltenham in the leading novice races is going to be Potters Charm. He, too, is unbeaten, with four victories over hurdles. His biggest success so far came on Boxing Day at Aintree when he won the Grade One Formby Novices’ Hurdle.

Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, Potters Charm has won over 2m1f and 2m5f, so his connections have many options with him. They may relish a clash with The New Lion in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle as it could determine who the leading novice hurdler is in the sport.

With Aintree and the Punchestown Festival set to follow Cheltenham, it is going to be an exciting end to the 2024/25 Jumps season. The final months of the campaign could determine who is likely to be the face of sport in the future.

Boylesports