The Lawlor’s of Naas has been a good guide towards the Cheltenham Festival, with Bob Olinger and Envoi Allen taking this before claiming Cheltenham Festival glory.
This year’s running looks as good as ever, with the Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux looking to back up a maiden win at Navan.
But he has some strong opposition to contend with here.
Get all the latest horse racing odds, and Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post markets here with the best online horse racing bookmakers.
Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle runner by runner betting guide
Now it’s time to take an in-depth look into runners of the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle and the best horse racing bookmakers to help you make a winning bet.
🏇 2 Jasmin De Vaux
- Age: 6
- Weight: 11st 12lb
- Form: /118-1
- Rating: –
- Jockey: Paul Townend
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Odds: 7/4
Last season’s Champion Bumper winner made a winning start to his hurdling career with a win at Navan over two miles (the second and third have since won).
But, for all that his performance was impressive, it lacked fluency in the jumping department.
The step-up in trip is an obvious plus, but he will still need to brush up on his jumping in a field of promising contenders.
If he can brush up his jumping, he will be bang there, but Jasmin De Vaux isn’t bulletproof.
✅ Step up in trip
✅ Champion bumper winner
❌ Jumping needs to improve
Star rating: ⭐️⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Jasmin De Vaux with talkSPORT BET 🐎
🏇 7 The Yellow Clay
- Age: 6
- Weight: 11st 12lb
- Form: 62-111
- Rating: 142
- Jockey: Sam Ewing
- Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Odds: 3/1
The Yellow Clay comes in here with a perfect three from three record over hurdles and now sits at the top of the betting for the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
He looked in trouble a long way out at Navan in his latest run, but his class got him through, and he managed to run down Fleur In The Park in the shadows of the post.
The only slight worry here is that The Yellow Clay looked as if the three quick runs had taken their toll on him, so will the four-week break be enough for him to get back to his best?
If he is back to his best, then for me, he takes the beating here.
✅ Jumps well
✅ Uncomplicated
❌ Ran flat last time out
Star rating: ⭐️⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on The Yellow Clay with Sky Bet 🐎
🏇 1 Butch Cassidy
- Age: 5
- Weight: 11st 12lb
- Form: 1-1
- Rating: –
- Jockey: Rachael Blackmore
- Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
- Odds: 11/2
Butch Cassidy comes in here on the back of a battling win over Sermandzarak (well backed but ran no race at Leopardstown since) and the reposing Shuffle Th Deck.
That was a good display in his first start for Henry de Bromhead, and he is likely to take another step forward today, but he needs to find a fair chunk of improvement here to win.
He’s an interesting horse for the future and one to keep a close on for the rest of the season, but he may find this too much too soon.
✅ Found plenty to win on debut
✅ Has a bright future
❌ Need to come on plenty for that run
Star rating: ⭐️⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Butch Cassidy with Paddy Power 🐎
🏇 4 Shuffle The Deck
- Age: 5
- Weight: 11st 12lb
- Form: 1-31
- Rating: –
- Jockey: Mark Walsh
- Trainer: Ted Walsh
- Odds: 6/1
He has it to find with Butch Cassidy on their meeting at Punchestown, but Shuffle The Deck did manage to win well at Naas on his next start.
That was an improved performance, but he will need to sustain that improvement to turn around five lengths with the Henry de Bromhead runner.
Not without an each-way chance, but he will need one or two to run below par.
✅ Came forward for his seasonal return to win
❌ Has over five lengths to find with Butch Cassidy
Star rating: ⭐️⭐
🐎 Bet on Shuffle The Deck with Midnite 🐎
🏇 8 Wingman
- Age: 7
- Weight: 11st 12lb
- Form: 131-13
- Rating: –
- Jockey: Danny Gilligan
- Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Odds: 16/1
In five career starts under rules, Wingman has never finished outside the top three places.
Having won well at Navan on hurdles debut despite jumping out to his right, Wingman was sent to Cheltenham for the December meeting for a novices’ hurdle.
He stepped back in trip for that, and it was clear from a long way out that he was getting tapped for speed, but he did well to rally to the cause and stay on well to take a clear second.
The step back up in trip is a clear plus here, but the jumping out to the right that was still there for all to see at Cheltenham is more of a worry than his ability to win here.
If Danny Gilligan can keep him tight to the rail and negate his tendency to jump to his right, then there is every chance that Wingman can claim a place here at worst.
There is an engine there, but Wingman needs to be on his best behaviour here.
✅ Has never been outside the top three
✅ Has the talent to play a part
✅ Steps back up in trip
❌ Jumping out to his right is an issue
Star rating: ⭐️⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Wingman with Betfred 🐎
🏇 6 Supersundae
- Age: 6
- Weight: 11st 12lb
- Form: /2/7-1
- Rating: –
- Jockey: Patrick Mullins
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Odds: 25/1
Closely related to the Grade 1 winner Supasundae, Supersundae has already shown a fair level of ability in his short career.
His first start over hurdles for Willie Mullins saw him finish seventh in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and he has since claimed a maiden hurdle win at Ballinrobe.
For me, he is the best watch here, with many of Willies needing their first run of the season.
He could be interesting for handicaps down the line and should find a few too good here.
✅ Ran well in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
❌ Likely to come on for this run
Star rating: ⭐️⭐
🐎 Bet on Supersundae with bet365 🐎
🏇 5 Spasiba
- Age: 6
- Weight: 11st 12lb
- Form: 2-1
- Rating: –
- Jockey: Danny Mullins
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Odds: 33/1
Spasiba battled well to win on debut for Willie Mullins in November, and, interestingly, he is Danny Mullins’s choice.
But on all known form, he must climb a mountain to get seriously involved.
Another Mullins runner that is best watched today.
✅ Battled well to win on first start for Willie Mullins
❌ Can’t afford to make jumping mistakes here
❌ Needs a new level of form
Star rating: ⭐️
🏇 3 Plontier
- Age: 9
- Weight: 11st 12lb
- Form: 14
- Rating: –
- Jockey: Sean O’Keeffe
- Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Odds: 40/1
This nine-year-old son of Planteur was a latecomer to the hurdling scene when making a winning start for Willie Mullins in August.
He was a fair performer on the flat, reaching a rating of 90, and he has since run well to finish fourth in the Grade 2 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle.
Plontier was bang there at the second last, but his inexperience got the better of him, and he still managed to hold on to fourth.
He strikes me as one for whom they may have a handicap target in the spring, so he may not want to get too involved in the finish here.
Plontier is one to keep an eye on for the spring festivals but will not be involved today.
✅ Has taken well to hurdling
❌ May have a spring festival handicaps plan on his horizon
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️
🐎 Bet on Plontier with BetMGM 🐎
Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle verdict
This has the makings of a cracking renewal of the Lawlor’s Of Naas with many live contenders, but THE YELLOW CLAYS’ experience may be enough to get him over the line first.
He is unbeaten since switching to hurdles, and if he can improve once again on the back of a short break, he can cement himself as a firm favourite for the Cheltenham Festival.
Wingman can grab a place finish at the prices.
Current Betting: Jasmin De Vaux 7/4, The Yellow Clay 3/1, Butch Cassidy 11/2, Shuffle The Deck 6/1, Wingman 16/1, Supersundae 25/1, Spasiba 33/1, Plontier 40/1.
About the author
Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).
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