Ballymore Classic Novices' Hurdle
(Registered As The Classic Novices' Hurdle)
Grade 2, Cheltenham 15:00
£32,000 added, 4yo plus,
2m 4f 56y, Class 1  
Saturday 25th January 2020

Free Racing Tips

1 Harry Senior 4/1
2 King Roland 6/4F
3 Protektorat 13/2
8 ran Distances: 2¼l, 2¼l, 2¾l
Time: 5m 19.46s (slow by 32.46s)

With The Big Breakaway, Fiddlerontheroof and Master Debonair all housed in the same stable, Tizzard is well covered in the novice hurdling sphere and Harry Senior did his claims no harm at all.

He was due to run at Warwick two weeks ago, but got loose beforehand and had to be withdrawn.

Far more tractable on this occasion, Robbie Power charted an inside route and though King Roland made a powerful move turning into the straight, Power kept his cool.

Harry Senior strode out powerfully up the hill and while King Roland stuck to his task, the 4-1 chance won by two and a quarter lengths with Protektorat back in third.

The winner was introduced into the betting at 12-1 for the Albert Bartlett by Betfair.

Tizzard said: “He had a little bit of blood showing in front (at Warwick), but you can’t blame the vets. 

“He just knocked his shin and Robbie said he cut himself shaving more. You don’t know what is underneath the blood and it was the right thing to do. 

“It gave him another fortnight from his last run and that wasn’t wasted on him. He was best turned out as he looked well today. It is a funny old world. 

“We thought Slate House would run a hell of a race (in the Cotswold Chase) and this one might struggle and this one bolts up.

“The way he travels, he almost goes to sleep – he would stay three miles on good spring ground. 

“I’m sure we will go for the three-miler, but he will have an entry in the Ballymore.

“You would say this is the best novice team we have had, but we have to get them there in the best health. This is a very testing time the next six weeks. 

“He won’t run again before Cheltenham as we would like to think he could run again at Aintree or Punchestown.”

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Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
(Registered As The Classic Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 2)
£32,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f 56y, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Soft

POS DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1     Harry Senior 6 11-5 Colin Tizzard Robbie Power 4/1
2
King Roland 6 11-5 Harry Fry Sean Bowen 6/4F
3
Protektorat 5 11-10 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 13/2
4
House Island 6 11-8 Paul Webber Gavin Sheehan 9/1
5
Time Flies By 5 11-5 Nicky Henderson Barry Geraghty 13/2
6
10 Ruthless Article 7 11-5 Rebecca Curtis Adam Wedge 33/1
PU    French Kiss 5 11-5 Tony Carroll Harry Bannister 150/1
PU    Rocket Lad 7 11-5 Emmet Mullins Brian Hayes 7/1

Year Horse Owner Trainer Weight Jockey SP

2000 Monsignor Malcolm Denmark Mark Pitman 6-11-12 Norman Williamson 1/2 f
2001 Indian Scout Indian Scout Partnership Ben De Haan 6-11-06 Liam Cummins 2/1
2002 Keen Leader Adair Catherwood Jonjo O’Neill 6-11-05 Liam Cooper 10/11 f
2003 Iris’s Gift Robert Lester Jonjo O’Neill 6-11-09 Barry Geraghty 1/3 f
2004 Abandoned
2005 Ambobo Sean Mulryan Arnaud Chaille-Chaille FR 5-11-12 Barry Geraghty 14/1
2006 Abandoned
2007 Wichita Lineman J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill 6-11-12 Tony McCoy Evens f
2008 Aigle D’Or J P McManus Nicky Henderson 5-11-09 Marcus Foley 7/4 f
2009 Diamond Harry Paul Duffy/Diamond Partnership Nick Williams 6-11-12 Timmy Murphy 8/15 f
2010 Restless Harry Richard Whitehead Robin Dickin 6-11-12 Henry Oliver 7/2
2011 Bobs Worth The Not Afraid Partnership Nicky Henderson 6-11-12 Barry Geraghty 7/2
2012 Batonnier Raymond Mould Alan King 6-11-05 Wayne Hutchinson 12/1
2013 At Fishers Cross J P McManus Rebecca Curtis 6-11-12 A P McCoy 13/2
2014 Red Sherlock The Johnson Family David Pipe 5-11-09 Tom Scudamore 9/4
2015 Ordo Ab Chao A Marsh Alan King 6-11-09 Wayne Hutchinson 16/1
2016 Yanworth J P McManus Alan King 6-11-12 Barry Geraghty 2/1f
2017 Wholestone Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies 6-11-10 Daryl Jacob 11/4 f
2018 Santini Mr & Mrs R Kelvin-Hughes Nicky Henderson 6-11-05 J McGrath 4/1
2019 Birchdale J P McManus Nicky Henderson 5-11-05 Barry Geraghty 2/1