The highlight race of the massive day of action from Newbury on Saturday is the Betfair Hurdle which gets underway at 15:35. There is a wonderfully competitive field for punters to try and pick through in what is a Grade 3 handicap.
The feature has 26 entries. The Class 1 run is over 2m 69y. There are eight hurdles for the runners to navigate and it is a contest which is open to horses aged four or older.
Al Dancer got the win last year for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies. Who comes through the big field for the 2020 renewal of the Betfair Hurdle?
Betfair Hurdle Newbury 15:35 Race Odds*
Not So Sleepy 7/1
Never Adapt 7/1
Thebannerkingrebel 7/1
Mack The Man 8/1
Ciel De Neige 8/1
Highly Prized 10/1
Oakley 16/1
Harambe 16/1
Sir Valentine 16/1
Stolen Silver 16/1
Quoi De Neuf 18/1
Whoshotthesheriff 18/1
Ecco 25/1
Pic D’Orhy 25/1
28/1 bar
* (betting odds taken from Betfair on February 7th, 2020 at 15:21)
Horse Racing Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Can the Twiston-Davies duo do it again?
With father and son trainer and jockey partnership of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies having landed two of the last three renewals of the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury, let’s start there.
Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has two entries in the race, Stolen Silver and Sir Valentine. It is the former which son Sam is taking the ride. Stolen Silver secured a win on his last run, which was at Haydock in January.
He has a 5lb penalty because of that 2m win, but that was the second win for him this season after a victory at Ffos Las. So he has the form and hasn’t been outside of the top two in his last three runs. This is his first go at Newbury and is 16/1 odds for the race* (betting odds taken from Betfair on February 7th, 2020 at 15:21).
As for Sir Valentine, the seven-year-old hasn’t been in bad shape. There was a third-place finish by him over 2m at Ascot in December. He is a course and distance winner with a Class 4 success coming in November when Sam Twiston-Davies was in the saddle. It’s notable perhaps that the jockey moves to Stolen Silver for this run.
Never Adapt
Nicky Henderson’s Never Adapt is pegged as one of the frontrunners for success. The mare came on brilliantly as a 5/4 favourite in the 2m hurdle at Kempton in January. Barry Geraghty takes the ride here and the five-year-old is such a promising horse.
There’s not been enough experience to determine how she will handle things in terms of the massive field, so temperament may come into play. A superb horse, who has the potential but has only had the four goes over the hurdles before. Nonetheless, she is one of the 7/1 front runners* (betting odds taken from Betfair on February 7th, 2020 at 15:21).
Not So Sleepy
At the head of the market is Not So Sleepy. He is on a hattrick and what a race to pull that off in. It has actually been three wins by him in his last four runs, so the 8-year-old is right on the nose with the form at the moment.
His last run saw him claim a win at Ascot a 2m back in December. That’s two wins that he has taken there. Can he translate the form over to Newbury now as a 7/1 front runner* (betting odds taken from Betfair on February 7th, 2020 at 15:21)?
Trainer Evan Williams has a very good entry in the 2020 Betfair Hurdle with Mack The Man. This is another horse who is heading to the Betfair Hurdle on Saturday looking to secure a hattrick. Those were successes at Warwick and Sandown in 2m trips. The most recent of those was a Class 1 effort as well by almost two lengths over Protektorat.
Thebannerkingrebel was third in a Class 1 trip at Haydock in mid-January. He was beaten out by two-lengths on that occasion by Stolen Silver. That followed three wins in four races (F) and the most recent of those wins was a Class 1 effort at Haydock in November.
They both have very good Claims, Mack The Man at 8/1 and Thebannerkingrebel at 7/1* (betting odds taken from Betfair on February 7th, 2020 at 15:21).
Other contenders
It’s such a big field that we are not going to wade through everyone, but pick out some potential outsiders. Ciel De Neige is one of them after a second-place finish at Limerick on a 2m trip in December. He had been the 1/4 favourite on that occasion for a field of seventeen. Trained by Willie Mullins, considering that it was his maiden hurdle, could leave the five-year-old with 8/1 appeal at Newbury* (betting odds taken from Betfair on February 7th, 2020 at 15:21).
Highly Prized is another with some form on his side. The seven-year-old has won his last two races and had distant success under his belt as well. The most recent win that he took was at 9/2 at Huntingdon over 2m in November last year, which was by eight lengths. Highly Prized won three of four runs in 2019.
Lightly Squeeze in search of a fourth straight win. The six-year-old was an 8/11 favourite at Plumpton last month and secured the win. That was in a Class 4 race. The form is there from him but this is a big step up in class. His last run at Newbury was back in 2017.
Mill Green got himself back on track with a Class 2 win at Sandown in early January. Trained by Nicky Henderson, it secured his first victory this season in what was a drop down to this distance where he handled himself very well and may have 28/1 each way considerations* (betting odds taken from Betfair on February 7th, 2020 at 15:21).
Predictions & Tips
A tough race to call. Never Adapt is pulling in a lot of appeal because she is stacked with potential, despite the inexperience that she has against some of the other contenders in the field.
Thebannkerkingrebel isn’t the sharpest of jumpers and will need to be right on his game in that regard in this kind of company.
So Not So Sleepy is hard to pass up as a tip for the 2020 Betfair Hurdle. He’s delivered at top class and just looks to be getting sharper.
The one with the bigger-odds appeal is Stolen Silver as the Twiston-Davies partnership has form going in there ace. A small hike in weight can be defied.
Bet365 ITV 4/1 Offer
The Betfair Hurdle 2020 is live on ITV.
Back a single winner at 4/1 odds with Bet365 on an ITV Race or Bet365 Feature race, and then you can take a bet to the same stake (up to the maximum of £50) on the next ITV live/Bet365 feature race, which will, in turn, be refunded if the wager loses.
This applies to the FIRST single bet placed on each race shown live on ITV Racing or is a nominated Bet365 Feature Race.
Sat 8th – Newbury & Warwick – ITV4
NEWBURY
13:50 The Betfair Bet In-Play Handicap Hurdle Race
14:25 The Betfair Exchange Steeplechase (Grade 2)
15:00 The Betfair Denman Steeplechase (Grade 2)
15:35 The Betfair Hurdle Race (Handicap) (Grade 3)
WARWICK
14:05 The Kingmaker Novices’ Steeple Chase (Grade 2)
14:40 The St Mary’s Lands Warwick Mares’ Hurdle Race (Nhmops Bonus Race)
15:15 The Warwick Castle Handicap Steeple Chase
18+ Please Gamble Responsibly. See bookmaker for full T&Cs
Key Terms & Conditions
This offer is only available to new and eligible customers and applies to the FIRST single bet placed by a customer on each race shown live on ITV Racing. This offer will not apply where a stake has been fully Cashed Out. Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, any refund amount or subsequent risk-free bet amount will be equal to the remaining active stake.
Where more than one selection in the same race is placed on the same bet slip, the first selection is deemed to be the one which is highest on the bet slip. Offer applies to bets placed on Win and Each Way Fixed Odds markets and Enhanced Place Terms markets only.
Risk-free bets must be placed on the next eligible race using your own funds – if your bet loses then the stake will be refunded to your account shortly after the race. Refund up-to £50 per race. The first bet on a race will be deemed as your qualifying bet. If you back the winner of the last race on any day, your risk-free bet will be the first bet you place on the next qualifying race.
