The race is just one of a crazy number of Grade 1s and is run over a distance of two miles, 110 yards, with eight hurdles to be negotiated. With well over £100,000 in prize money up for grabs, this contest attracts some of the best novices around and is open to horses aged four years and over, with fillies and mares having a seven pound allowance and horses aged five and over carrying a little more weight than their younger rivals.
Nicky Henderson is no stranger to Cheltenham Festival winners and Jonbon could well follow in the footsteps of Altior and win the 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. The six-year-old has been foot perfect so far during a short career, with the most recent victory coming at Ascot Racecourse.
There was a victory in the Howden Kennel Gate Novices' Hurdle over one mile and seven furlongs, with Aidan Coleman giving the horse a fantastic spin in this Grade 2 race and he could well be the one to beat when it comes to the Festival opener. We’re expecting Jonbon to be a popular Cheltenham Festival bet.
However, the Supreme is always a competitive race and Henderson has another lively prospect in the form of Constitution Hill. The five-year-old is fairly lightly-raced, although there was plenty to like about a victory at Sandown Park in early December and further improvement could come.
Sir Gerhard runs for Willie Mullins and the horse has previous form at the Cheltenham Festival after winning the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in 2021, with the Irish raider having won a Maiden Hurdle on Boxing Day over two miles.
Mighty Potter and Dysart Dynamo are other notable entries in the 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Cheltenham Festival offers mean that some bookies will be offering four or even five places when it comes to the first horse race. Punters will be looking to get their Cheltenham Festival betting off to a flyer starting with the first race on Day One.