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 Top Novices Hurdle Preview
The Top Novices Hurdle has had a Grade 1 status since being upgraded in 2016, it is scheduled to take place in April of each year at the Aintree racecourse.
It is run during the Grand National meeting and it is open to runners aged four or older who are novices', this means no wins over hurdles before the start of the current season.
The race is run over a trip of two miles and half a furlong in which the runners will have to contend with a total of nine hurdles.
Top Novices Hurdle Information:
- Top Novices Hurdle Past Winners
- Top Novices Hurdle Trainer Statistics
- Top Novices Hurdle Jockey Statistics
To see which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are tipping throughout the card that includes this race, head over to the Aintree tips on the day of the race, do they agree with the runners on the trend shortlist or are they predicting other runners? 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 Top 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 107%. The race in 2018 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 123%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Top Novices Hurdle, the over-round has been 116%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £116 which is bet.
Top 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 Top Novices Hurdle next time out then you would have backed a total of 5 winners. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since to win at SP next time out, would have returned an LSP of -6.29. Ahead of the 2025 Top Novices Hurdle why not head over to the racing predictions for tips on other races today?
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2018 renewal when Lalor from Kayley Woollacott under the guidance of Richard Johnson, won in a time of 4:15.80, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, General Miller, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Barry Geraghty set the quickest time of 3:57.80 in the 2010 renewal.
These are the top three quickest-run Top Novices Hurdle over the last 20 renewals:
- General Miller (3:57.80) in 2010
- Pierrot Lunaire (3:58.30) in 2008
- Royal Shakespeare (3:58.30) in 2004
What the expert says...
The Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival is the obvious prep race for this Top Novices Hurdle, it is a race that has provided 11 of the last 18 winners including 9 of the last 12. The County Hurdle is the only other festival race to provide a winner with Belfast Banter in 2021.Top Novices Hurdle Past Winners
Here are the Top 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 Top Novices Hurdle as well as the jockey is also displayed along with the starting price the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 4:11.57 | Mystical Power (IRE) 5yo 11-7 11/10F | Mark Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2023 4:06.90 | Inthepocket (GB) 6yo 11-7 3/1F | Rachael Blackmore Henry De Bromhead (IRE) |
| 2022 3:58.39 | Jonbon (FR) 6yo 11-4 1/1F | Aidan Coleman Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2021 4:03.47 | Belfast Banter (IRE) 6yo 11-4 9/1 | Kevin Sexton Peter Fahey (IRE) |
| 2019 4:02.50 | Felix Desjy (FR) 6yo 11-4 7/2 | Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
| 2018 4:15.80 | Lalor (GER) 6yo 11-4 14/1 | Richard Johnson Kayley Woollacott (GB) |
| 2017 4:03.20 | Pingshou (IRE) 7yo 11-4 16/1 | Robbie Power Colin Tizzard (GB) |
| 2016 4:04.50 | Buveur DAir (FR) 5yo 11-4 11/4 | Noel Fehily Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2015 4:00.10 | Cyrus Darius (GB) 6yo 11-4 8/1 | Brian Hughes Malcolm Jefferson (GB) |
| 2014 3:59.60 | Josses Hill (IRE) 6yo 11-4 6/4F | Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Top Novices Hurdle have been based:
- GB: 16 winners with an additional 26 placings from 172 runners
- IRE: 4 winners with an additional 9 placings from 32 runners
Top Novices Hurdle Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Top Novices Hurdle over the last 20 renewals is Nicky Henderson who has won the race six times with those six winners coming from General Miller (2010), Darlan (2012), My Tent Or Yours (2013), Josses Hill (2014), Buveur DAir (2016) and Jonbon (2022).
Here are some of the top Top 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicky Henderson | 22-6-10 | -1.64 | -2.70 |
| Paul Nicholls | 16-1-5 | -10.00 | -8.43 |
| W P Mullins | 7-1-5 | -4.90 | +1.57 |
| Gordon Elliott | 6-1-3 | -1.50 | -0.13 |
| Henry De Bromhead | 5-1-1 | -1.00 | -2.20 |
| Lucy Wadham | 4-1-1 | +11.00 | +5.40 |
| Steve Gollings | 2-1-1 | +24.00 | +14.00 |
| John Quinn | 2-1-1 | +13.00 | +7.40 |
| Peter Fahey | 2-1-1 | +8.00 | +4.40 |
| Henry Daly | 2-1-1 | +2.00 | +0.88 |
Top Novices Hurdle Jockey Statistics
Here are some of the top Top 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Hughes | 6-1-2 | +3.00 | +0.52 |
| Daryl Jacob | 4-1-1 | +2.50 | +0.30 |
| Kevin Sexton | 2-1-1 | +8.00 | +4.40 |
| Jack Kennedy | 2-1-2 | +2.50 | +1.97 |
| Mark Walsh | 2-1-1 | +0.10 | -0.31 |
| Rachael Blackmore | 1-1-1 | +3.00 | +1.80 |
| Paddy Brennan | 8-0-0 | -8.00 | -8.00 |
| Nico de Boinville | 6-0-2 | -6.00 | -4.40 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 6-0-1 | -6.00 | -4.80 |
| Harry Cobden | 4-0-0 | -4.00 | -4.00 |
2025 Top Novices Hurdle Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 6, 2, 1, 3, PU, 2, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1, 4, 3, (2, 5), 6, 2, (3, 4), 1, 1, 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 (72%) - No bigger than 25/1
- 20 / 20 (73%) - Highest Won is not G1/LST/Cl2/Cl6
- 20 / 20 (75%) - Within the first 8 of the market
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Not in a G1/LST/Cl2/Cl5-6 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Ran in England (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (81%) - Break of 16 - 118 days (Last Place)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - No bigger than 33/1 (Career)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Not on HY/GF/FM/STD-SLW/STD (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Off a break of 13 - 61 days
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Highest Placed is not G3/LST
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Had 1 - 4 wins (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Made 2 - 6 starts (180 Days)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Not in FRA/DEU/ITA/SCO (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Achieved an RPR of 119+ (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Achieved an RPR of 107+ (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 Top Novices Hurdle. If you are a newcomer to horse racing betting, then the number of types of bets can be scary! Don't let that put you off though, head over to this Types Of Horse Racing Bet article and have a read, you will then have a better knowledge of betting on racing in the future and there are plenty of other articles in the OLBG Betting School too.
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 Top Novices Hurdle by adding a tip on the race here.
Top Novices Hurdle Trend Analysis
The trend factor which had produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +24.61 is when runners had 1 start in the past 30 days. The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran over 1m on debut, when backing these the trend shows a record of 0-25.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Top Novices Hurdle is Cheltenham, there has been a total number of 12 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 20 winners from a total of 196 runners whilst the Female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 8 runners.
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Royal Shakespeare in 2004, winning for Steve Gollings at odds of 25/1 under the guidance of Robert Thornton. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals there have been 7 winning favourites in the race. Whilst we wait for the 2025 Top Novices Hurdle remember you can get daily racing predictions from the top racing tipsters on the best racing tipsters page.
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 Top 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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