2017 Neptune Novices Hurdle Betting Tips PT 1

We are now less than a week away from the kick off to the upcoming Cheltenham Festival – certain to be one of the biggest (if not the biggest) betting event of the entire calendar year. There is a lot to like about this year' iteration of the festival despite the fact that a few of the top superstars of the hurdling and chasing worlds have been withdrawn from contention here due to injury or connections simply not wanting to risk them coming back too early.

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In this type of pursuit, the horses simply race on much longer so the fact that Thistlecrack isn't runnig year is certainly no guarantee that he won't be back around for an additional kick at the can this time next year.

Taking a look at the kick off race for Cheltenham's Wednesday card, we have the Neptune Novices Hurdle. This one is always a really interesting contest and tends to attract the talented runners who want a bit more distance than what you're going to get in the Supreme Novices Hurdle. Typically not run at quite the same level of pace that you'll find in the Supreme, this contest still makes itself a very tricky scenario for punters to decipher.

The contest is nearly always an ante post minefield since so many contenders who tend to be genuine facies here have at least one or two other co-entries (typically to the Supreme and the Triumph Hurdle).

Heading into the market for this one we have a clear and discernable favourite in the likes of Neon Wolf – an undefeated Harry Fry charge who really impressed last time out at Haydock Park when he captured a Grade 2 contest by a hefty nine length margin. Sent off at a 4/5 price tag that day against a field of seven contenders, Neon Wolf is only six years old and he can improve significantly off that effort.