Horse Racing stats man, Andy has contributed to OLBG for 18 years - An Ipswich fan and F1 fanatic, he also contributes EFL football and Motor Sport opinion.
2025 Mersey Novices Hurdle Preview
Scheduled to take place in April of each year at the Aintree racecourse is the Mersey Novices Hurdle, a Grade 1 hurdle that takes place during the Grand National meeting.
The race is open to runners aged four or older who came into the season without a win over hurdles, the race is run over a trip of two miles and four furlongs where the runners will face eleven hurdles.
Mersey Novices Hurdle Information:
- Mersey Novices Hurdle Past Winners
- Mersey Novices Hurdle Trainer Statistics
- Mersey Novices Hurdle Jockey Statistics
Our dedicated Aintree tips page will not only bring you predictions from the OLBG racing tipsters for the upcoming card that includes the Mersey Novices Hurdle but will also have predictions for each meeting at Aintree throughout the season so be sure to head over there. We cover every race at the Aintree Grand National Meeting and below you can find links to all of the races for each of Thursday, Friday & Saturday.
How competitive is the Mersey Novices Hurdle market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2013 when the race had an over-round of 114%. The race in 2012 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 124%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Mersey Novices Hurdle, the over-round has been 117%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £117 which is bet.
Mersey Novices Hurdle Trends:
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? From the past 20 if you had followed the winner of the Mersey Novices Hurdle next time out then you would have backed a total of 9 winners. Backing all 18 runners who have been out since to win at SP next time out, would have returned an LSP of +4.51. Remember to bookmark the racing tips page so you can get easy access to the OLBG racing picks daily.
Over the last 20 renewals, it was the W P Mullins trained Nichols Canyon ridden by R Walsh who set the fastest winning time in the Mersey Novices Hurdle, the runner won the race in a time of 4:45.80 was set when winning the race in 2015. At the other end of the scale, it was the combination of trainer Nicky Richards and jockey Tony Dobbin with Turpin Green who set the slowest winning time, the race-winning time was 5:11.60 in the 2005 renewal.
These are the top three quickest-run Mersey Novices Hurdle over the last 20 renewals:
- Nichols Canyon (4:45.80) in 2015
- Irish Point (4:50.05) in 2023
- Reserve Tank (4:50.30) in 2019
What the expert says...
The Baring Bingham at Cheltenham used to be a good prep race for this one, between 2010 and 2016 that race produced five of the winners. Only two of the last five winners came from Cheltenham which were Three Stripe Life (2022) who had finished runner-up in the Baring Bingham last time out and Brighterdaysahead (2024) who was runner-up in the Mares Novices Hurdle.Mersey Novices Hurdle Past Winners
Here are the Mersey Novices Hurdle past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won along with the age & weight of the horse. The trainer of the horse at the time of winning the Mersey Novices Hurdle as well as the jockey is also displayed along with the starting price the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 5:04.76 | Brighterdaysahead (FR) 5yo 11-0 6/5F | Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
| 2023 4:50.05 | Irish Point (FR) 5yo 11-7 5/1 | Davy Russell Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
| 2022 4:55.21 | Three Stripe Life (IRE) 6yo 11-4 5/2F | Davy Russell Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
| 2021 4:55.36 | My Drogo (GB) 6yo 11-4 5/4F | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2019 4:50.30 | Reserve Tank (IRE) 5yo 11-4 20/1 | Robbie Power Colin Tizzard (GB) |
| 2018 5:04.70 | Black Op (IRE) 7yo 11-4 3/1 | Noel Fehily Tom George (GB) |
| 2017 4:51.40 | Finians Oscar (IRE) 5yo 11-4 3/1F | Robbie Power Colin Tizzard (GB) |
| 2016 5:10.10 | Yorkhill (IRE) 6yo 11-4 30/100F | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2015 4:45.80 | Nichols Canyon (GB) 5yo 11-4 3/1F | R Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2014 4:50.60 | Lac Fontana (FR) 5yo 11-4 9/2F | A P McCoy Paul Nicholls (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Mersey Novices Hurdle have been based:
- GB: 15 winners with an additional 37 placings from 183 runners
- IRE: 5 winners with an additional 3 placings from 31 runners
Mersey Novices Hurdle Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Mersey Novices Hurdle over the last 20 renewals is Paul Nicholls who has won the race four times with those four winners coming from Garde Champetre (2004), Natal (2006), Elusive Dream (2008) and Lac Fontana (2014). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Mersey Novices Hurdle are Gordon Elliott (3 wins), Nicky Henderson (2 wins) and W P Mullins (2 wins). Two trainers have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the Mersey Novices Hurdle, Alan King has sent a total of 13 runners to the race without recording any wins whilst Nigel Twiston-Davies has sent out 10 without a winner.
Here are some of the top Mersey Novices Hurdle trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Nicholls | 15-4-8 | +5.00 | +2.75 |
| Gordon Elliott | 6-3-4 | +5.70 | +4.72 |
| Nicky Henderson | 16-2-5 | -10.56 | -9.72 |
| W P Mullins | 7-2-2 | -1.70 | -3.01 |
| Nicky Richards | 8-1-4 | +7.00 | +7.00 |
| Donald McCain | 8-1-4 | -5.75 | -2.45 |
| Dan Skelton | 6-1-5 | -3.75 | +2.25 |
| Gary Moore | 4-1-1 | +19.00 | +10.20 |
| Emma Lavelle | 2-1-1 | +15.00 | +7.00 |
| Tom George | 2-1-1 | +2.00 | +0.80 |
Mersey Novices Hurdle Jockey Statistics
Here are some of the top Mersey Novices Hurdle jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Skelton | 6-1-5 | -3.75 | +2.25 |
| Paddy Brennan | 5-1-1 | -1.75 | -2.65 |
| Paul Townend | 5-1-1 | -3.70 | -3.81 |
| Jack Kennedy | 1-1-1 | +1.20 | +0.72 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 7-0-4 | -7.00 | +0.50 |
| Nico de Boinville | 6-0-1 | -6.00 | -5.23 |
| Sean Bowen | 5-0-2 | -5.00 | +2.60 |
| Brian Hughes | 5-0-1 | -5.00 | -3.30 |
| Daryl Jacob | 4-0-2 | -4.00 | -2.20 |
| Graham Lee | 4-0-1 | -4.00 | -3.42 |
2025 Mersey Novices Hurdle Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 4, 3, (1, 2), 5, 3, 5, 1, 2, 1, 6, 1, 1, 1, 1, 6, 3, 1, 1, 3, 1
The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (64%) - No bigger than 22/1
- 20 / 20 (68%) - Achieved an RPR of 128+ (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Within the first 8 of the market
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Highest Run is not G3/LST/Cl2-3/Cl6
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Off a break of 15 - 54 days
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Achieved an RPR of 128+ (Season)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Achieved a TS of 93+ (Last 3)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Not in a Cl2-3/Cl5-6 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Beaten no more -13l (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Furthest Placed 2m½f - 2m5½f
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Made 3 - 9 starts (1 Year)
- 19 / 20 (81%) - Break of 20 - 157 days (Last Win)
- 19 / 20 (86%) - Not fallen (Career)
- 19 / 20 (87%) - No bigger than 25/1 (Career Win)
- 19 / 20 (87%) - No bigger than 11/1 (Last Win)
Remember to use the trends listed above along with the Aintree racing predictions to see if you can find the winner of the Mersey Novices Hurdle. How well do you know your horse racing? Are there certain types of races that you are unsure of? Why not take a look at this Types Of Horse Race article to familiarise yourself with the different types of racing, that is just one of many helpful horse racing articles in the OLBG Betting School.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, It is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Mersey Novices Hurdle by adding a tip on the race here.
Mersey Novices Hurdle Trend Analysis
The trend factor which had produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +45.74 is when runners ran over 2m5f last time out. The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had the furthest trip run of 2m4½f, when backing these the trend shows a record of 0-29.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Mersey Novices Hurdle is Cheltenham, there has been a total number of 13 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out.
The race is open to both sexes with the Male runners having produced a total of 19 winners from a total of 201 runners whilst the Female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 13 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Mersey Novices Hurdle:
- Kapgarde (2 Wins)
- Oscar (2 Wins)
- Presenting (2 Wins)
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Mersey Novices Hurdle despite multiple attempts:
- Fame And Glory (0 Wins from 5 runners)
- Kayf Tara (0 Wins from 5 runners)
- Kings Theatre (0 Wins from 5 runners)
- Westerner (0 Wins from 5 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Ubak in 2013, winning for Gary Moore at odds of 22/1 under the guidance of Jamie Moore. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals there have been 10 winning favourites in the race. Ahead of the 2025 Mersey Novices Hurdle why not head over to the best racing tipster page to see what the tipsters are backing today?
Schedule for Thursday at the Aintree Grand National Meeting
The three-day Grand National meeting kicks off on Thursday with four Grade 1 events on the seven-race card which features both the Aintree Hurdle and the Bowl Chase.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:45 Aintree Manifesto Novices Chase | Il Etait Temps (FR) 6yo - 3/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 14:20 Aintree Anniversary 4YO Juvenile Hurdle | Sir Gino (FR) 4yo - 11/10 | Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville |
| 14:55 Aintree Bowl Chase | Gerri Colombe (FR) 8yo - 9/4 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| 15:30 Aintree Aintree Hurdle | Impaire Et Passe (FR) 6yo - 1/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 16:05 Aintree Foxhunters Chase | Its On The Line (IRE) 7yo - 3/1 | Emmet Mullins Mr Derek O'Connor |
| 16:40 Aintree Red Rum Handicap Chase | Sans Bruit (FR) 6yo - 5/1 | Paul Nicholls Bryony Frost |
| 17:15 Aintree Nickel Coin Mares Bumper | Diva Luna (IRE) 5yo - 13/2 | Ben Pauling Kielan Woods |
Schedule for Friday at the Aintree Grand National Meeting
Day 2 of the Grand National meeting is Ladies Day or Fabulous Friday, the highlights on the track being the Melling Chase plus there is the Topham Chase over the Grand National fences.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:45 Aintree Mildmay Novices Chase | Inothewayurthinkin (IRE) 6yo - 6/4 | Gavin Cromwell Mark Walsh |
| 14:20 Aintree William Hill National Festival Handicap Hurdle | Kateira (GB) 7yo - 5/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 14:55 Aintree Top Novices Hurdle | Mystical Power (IRE) 5yo - 11/10 | W P Mullins Mark Walsh |
| 15:30 Aintree Melling Chase | Jonbon (FR) 8yo - 11/10 | Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville |
| 16:05 Aintree Topham Chase | Arizona Cardinal (GB) 8yo - 20/1 | Stuart Edmunds Ciaran Gethings |
| 16:40 Aintree Sefton Novices Hurdle | Dancing City (FR) 7yo - 4/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 17:15 Aintree Alder Hey Handicap Hurdle | El Jefe (IRE) 7yo - 40/1 | Andrew Hamilton Ben Smith |
Schedule for Saturday at the Aintree Grand National Meeting
The Grand National is obviously the showpiece of the Aintree meeting and day 3 also includes three Grade 1 events, the feature of those being the Liverpool Hurdle.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Aintree Bridle Road Handicap Hurdle | Gwennie May Boy (IRE) 6yo - 9/2 | Dan Skelton Charlie Todd |
| 13:55 Aintree Mersey Novices Hurdle | Brighterdaysahead (FR) 5yo - 6/5 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| 14:30 Aintree William Hill National Festival Handicap Chase | Cruz Control (FR) 7yo - 9/1 | Tom Lacey Stan Sheppard |
| 15:05 Aintree Liverpool Hurdle | Strong Leader (GB) 7yo - 8/1 | Olly Murphy Sean Bowen |
| 16:00 Aintree Grand National | I Am Maximus (FR) 8yo - 7/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 17:00 Aintree Maghull Novices Chase | Found A Fifty (IRE) 7yo - 11/8 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| 17:35 Aintree Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race | Horaces Pearl (FR) 6yo - 14/1 | Fergal O'Brien Connor Brace |
Article Contributor Information
We are blessed with an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to creating and maintaining this Mersey Novices Hurdle Preview are at hand, Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse racing tips team team looking after the tipsters and managing the tips settlement, whilst also creating and managing all of the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
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