Key Stats – Supreme Novices Hurdle

Irish-trained horses have won 6 of the last 10 runnings.

Just 2 of the last 10 winners have started 3/1 or shorter.

9 of the last 10 winners won last time out.

9 of the last 10 winners had a run within 40 days of the Festival.

Trends Summary - Supreme Novices Hurdle

Irish Trainers have a strong record in the race.

Last time out winners should be high on your betting list.

Horses that start 3/1 or shorter have a poor record in the race.

The two main Irish trials are The Royal Bond & The Deloitte Hurdle.

Supreme Novices Hurdle Last Ten Winners
Table below shows the last ten winners of the race, their age, trainer, jockey and starting price)

The Main Contendors - Supreme Novices Hurdle 2012

Steps to Freedom

Darlan

Cinders and Ashes

Simonsig

Midnight Game

Cash and Go

Galilleo’s Choice

Colour Squadron

The Worksop golfer, who established a seven-shot lead for the final round by carding a course-record 62 in South Africa on Saturday, closed with a one-over-par 73 to win by two shots.

Sweden’s Robert Karlsson finished second, with Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell and America’s Jason Dufner two shots further adrift on 11 under par at the Sun City resort.

Westwood finished with successive bogies, but it did not matter as his dominance was never seriously threatened.

Birdies on the sixth and ninth helped the 38-year-old’s cause, before a bogey on the 12th.

Although his finish was unspectacular, it did not prevent the world number three claiming a first prize of almost £800,000.

Westwood told the post-match presentation ceremony: “I’ve been coming here a long time, this is the ninth time, and it’s special every time I come.

“I love playing this course and yesterday was probably the best round I’ve ever played. It set me up to play conservatively today. It’s very satisfying.

“It’s all right when things go well and you are top of the rankings but when you drop to 270 you find out more about the real person.

“So to get invited back here and win back-to-back titles is a bit special.

“Yesterday was very special. I drove well and made a few putts, which you’ve got to do round any course when you make 10 under.”

McDowell made good ground to close on Westwood, before his challenge faded on the back nine as he double-bogeyed the 15th and dropped another shot on the next hole.

The 32-year-old told Sky Sports: “Today kind of summed up the week – I made some mistakes at the wrong time.

“I might have been in the mix but maybe pushed a bit hard last night and there was the double on the 17th – but all in all I’m happy with my game.”

Karlsson also made steady progress, until his hopes of turning the screw in the closing stages faltered when he found sand on the par-three 16th.

However, the Swede got the shot back when he birdied the 17th and made sure of second place when he made par on the last.

Kim Kyung-Tae finished fifth with a fourth round of 70, while home hope Charl Schwartzel was two shots further back on six under after a 72.

England’s world number one Luke Donald also managed a 72 to finish a further shot adrift in seventh, a shot clear of Germany’s Martin Kaymer – who slipped out of contention with a final round of 76.

Reigning Champion Chaser Sizing Europe tops the ratings heading into Saturday’s  Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Nine runners are  declared for Saturday’s sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Sizing Europe leads the field for the top class 2 mile chase. The Irish challenger will be trying to break Paul Nicholls stranglehold on the Grade 1 chase.

Nicholls will be doubled handed in the race with Tataniano (Ruby Walsh) and Kauto Stone (Sam Thomas).

Wishfull Thinking, one of last season’s leading novice chasers, drops back to two miles for Philip Hobbs.

Gauvain was an impressive winner on his reappearance at Cheltenham and will be attempting to win a Grade 1 race for the first time.

Imsingingtheblues, Cornas, Dan Breen and Fix The Rib complete the field.

The Italians beat City 2-1 in their crucial Group A meeting to climb into second place and leave Roberto Mancini’s sweating on reaching the last 16.

City must beat group winners Bayern Munich next month and hope pointless Villarreal can get a positive result against Napoli.

But De Laurentiis believes Tuesday’s victory proves success in football cannot be bought.

Fibre

Premier League leaders City revealed last week that owner Sheikh Mansour has bankrolled record-breaking losses of £194.9m in the most recent financial year.

De Laurentiis said: “Our success proves two things. The first is that perhaps money isn’t everything, as even with the budgets in order you can still go far.

“It also means that this Napoli side has a strong fibre and can give us great moments.”

Rooney sustained a hip injury in the weekend win at Swansea but Ferguson had hoped to have him available for Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League clash at Old Trafford.

He failed to recover in time to feature in the squad and it remains to be seen whether he will be back in contention for the visit of high-flying Newcastle on Saturday.

Ferguson will not make a decision until nearer kick-off as he wants to give Rooney every opportunity to take part.

Asked about the England striker’s condition after the match with Benfica, Ferguson said: “He wasn’t fit for tonight, so we need to wait to see what he is like over the next few days.

“We will give him every chance, of course – we did for today, but he wasn’t really fit, so we’ll just have to wait.”

Dimitar Berbatov scored against Benfica after being handed a rare start, while Javier Hernandez came on for the closing stages.

Speculation over the Frenchman’s future has been building for some time and fresh rumours have surfaced this week after he did not travel with the rest of the Blues squad for Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen.

Andre Villas-Boas confirmed that his omission was not due to injury, while Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua revealed they had enquired about Anelka’s availability.

Anelka insists that he would prefer to stay at Stamford Bridge until at least the end of the season, having played a key role for the club since joining from Bolton in 2008.

Imperial Commander
The 2010 Gold Cup winner was sent off a 4/1 second favourite to retain his crown in the 2011 running but was tailed off when pulled up before the last fence.  Nigel Twiston-Davis will be hoping his stable star can return to form at his favourite racecourse where he has won 6 times in the 2012 Gold Cup.

Time For Rupert
Time for Rupert is one of the new kids on the block. He was sent off favourite for the RSA Novice Chase at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival, where he finished a disappointing fifth. Paul Webber will be hoping he can get his Fleminsfirth gelding back to Prestbury Park in sparkling form the 2012 Gold Cup.

The more famous winners of the great race include:
•    Fortria – 1960, 1962
•    Gay Trip – 1969, 1971
•    Half Free – 1984, 1985
•    Bradbury Star – 1993, 1994
•    Cyfor Malta – 1998, 2002
•    Exotic Dancer (2006)
•    Imperial Commander (2008)

The master trainer Martin Pipe holds the record for the number of Paddy Power Gold Cup winners, with eight victories. Long Run the 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner finished 3rd behind Little Josh in the 2010 running of the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

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