The top Irish novices to watch at the Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is the Olympics of the National Hunt season, and Ireland’s novice contenders often take home gold in the week’s biggest races.

With powerhouse trainers like Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott unleashing their most exciting young talents, punters will be eager to go through the race fixtures and spot the next superstar before placing a horse racing bet.  

From Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hopefuls to Arkle market leaders, we take a closer look at the standout Irish youngsters to follow.  

Kopek Des Bordes – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 

With a Grade 2 win at Punchestown on season reappearance, Salvator Mundi shot to favouritism in the Supreme for Mullins. However, it was only brief, as Kopek Des Bordes quickly took the top spot in the market.  

The five-year-old, who won a bumper at Fairyhouse on his only start of last season, won a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown on Boxing Day and followed up with a convincing 13-length win in the Grade 1 Ireland Novice Hurdle back at the track at the beginning of February.  

The Supreme could be at his peril.  

Majborough – Arkle 

With the devastating news that the exciting Sir Gino had been ruled out for the campaign after suffering a leg injury, Majborough emerged as the new favourite for the lucrative Arkle Novices’ Chase.  

The five-year-old, who won the Triumph Hurdle in the absence of Sir Gino at last year’s Festival, landed a Beginners Chase on seasonal reappearance and stepped it up a notch in the Irish Arkle last time out. 

Mullins has won the last two renewals of the Grade 1 novice contest with El Fabiolo and Gaelic Warrior, and a hat-trick win with Majborough this year would see him draw level with veteran trainer Nicky Henderson on seven overall triumphs.  

The Yellow Clay – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 

A two-time winner in five bumper starts, including in a Listed contest on his second start at Limerick, The Yellow Clay has made the switch to hurdles look seamless with four wins from as many starts for Elliott this campaign.  

A comfortable winner on his debut over the smaller obstacles in a maiden at Down Royal in November, the six-year-old has just kept improving—progressing through the grades and winning the top-level last time out.  

That eight-length win over Supersundae in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Nass Novice Hurdle was particularly impressive, and odds of 3/1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle could prove good value at the Festival.  

Ballyburn – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase 

One of the most exhilarating winners at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, Ballyburn left pundits and punters alike in awe when he romped home by 13 lengths in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle from stablemate Jimmy Du Seuil.  

The seven-year-old won his chasing debut at Punchestown in November in a similar fashion but was well beaten by Sir Gino in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton over the Christmas period.  

The drop in trip to two miles didn’t suit that day, and Ballyburn bounced back over two miles, five-and-a-half furlongs in a Grade 1 Novice Chase at the beginning of February. 2/1 could be a good price for him in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.