County Hurdle Tips & Predictions
The County Hurdle is the first handicap on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival and it looks like a red-hot contest this year.
It has been a springboard for top-level races in recent years, with subsequent Champion Hurdle winner State Man and Top Novices’ Hurdle scorer Belfast Banter on the roll of honour.
A field of 16 will go to post for Friday's 14:00 race and here are three to keep in mind, including one at big odds.
NAP: Hansard @ 10/1
Hansard showed he was potentially very smart when finishing fourth in the Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree in 2023, a race in which the top three are now rated at least 149.
He looked good when winning the 2023 Gerry Feilden and ran a huge race under top weight in a race that worked out superbly well at Ascot that December.
The seven-year-old finished fifth that day, beaten three and a quarter lengths, but all but two of his eight rivals have won since and one that didn’t, winner Luccia, was placed in the Champion Hurdle on her next start.
Hansard has taken a couple of starts to get going this season after almost a year off the track, but he was right at his best last time. He really caught the eye with how well he travelled when third behind Golden Ace and Burdett Road, just finding the subsequent Champion Hurdle one-two too strong for him.
If the first-time cheekpieces help him concentrate, he looks very well-handicapped on his return to handicap company.
NB: McLaurey @ 6/1
The Mullins family has a good record in this, with Willie and his brothers Tom and Tony responsible for nine winners since 2007, but it could be nephew Emmet on the roll of honour this time.
Emmet Mullins has saddled two runners in the County, one in each of the last two runnings, and both have been beaten at single-figure prices.
The difference between those and this year’s hopeful McLaurey though is that he’s far more unexposed.
McLaurey was just a length and a quarter behind Turners Novices’ Hurdle fourth Forty Coats at Punchestown in December and got off the mark at the fourth attempt when trying two miles for the first time at Limerick 18 days later.
He then made it two from two since dropping to two miles, when landing a hot handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.
The six-year-old then made up ground from well off the pace at Leopardstown and won with more authority than the winning margin of a length suggests, having idled in front.
A 16lb rise asks a big question, but he’s certainly improving and has a nice weight and profile for this race.
Also consider: Daddy Long Legs @ 20/1
Willie Mullins has a fantastic record in the County, with Absurde’s success 12 months ago his seventh victory in this contest, and he’s mob-handed again this time.
Last year’s winner is back off a 6lb higher mark, but Paul Townend has jumped ship to the mare Kargese, who is well fancied by many for this race.
But one from his yard who looks to have been overlooked is the topweight Daddy Long Legs, who was last seen finishing six lengths behind State Man in the Irish Champion Hurdle last month.
He was an emphatic winner of his first start in a handicap at the Punchestown Festival last April and can be forgiven for finishing last when favourite for the Galway Hurdle in August, given he was on his heels when the starter let them go and forfeited many lengths.
Daddy Long Legs has been in the form of his life this season and could prove too classy for these rivals now returning to handicap company.
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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation