New Contest Attracts Huge Entry

The Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle, the first of five new races at this year's Festival to close, has attracted 117 entries for its first running on Friday, March 18. The three-mile event has been supported by a huge cross-section of trainers with 40 Irish-trained entries and two from France.

Click here for The Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle entries

Brewster, winner of his last three starts for trainer Ian Williams, is likely to be among the leading contenders for the ?75,000 event, with the Victor Dartnall-trained Mount Clerigo, Killeaney, winner of his last four starts for Co Kildare handler John Carr, the Martin Pipe-trained Celtic Son and the Willie Mullins-trained Homer Wells among the leading contenders.

Philip Wolski, Head of Marketing at Brit Insurance, said: 'We are extremely encouraged by the level of interest from trainers in what promises to be a thoroughly competitive inaugural running of The Brit Insurance Novices´ Hurdle. The race is shaping up to be a real feature of the Friday afternoon´s card and will undoubtedly attract a great deal of media interest. This more than justifies Brit Insurance´s sponsorship investment into the 2005 Festival programme.'

The Festival begins on Tuesday, March 15, with the LETHEBY & CHRISTOPHER SUPREME NOVICES' HURDLE, which features 119 entries. Leading contenders include the Martin Pipe-trained Marcel, J P McManus's Olaso, the Dermot Weld-trained Akshar, Roman Ark, winner of his last three outings for trainer Malcolm Jefferson, Feathered Lady, trained like last year's winner Brave Inca by Colm Murphy, the Howard Johnson-trained Arcalis, Royal Paradise, trained by Tom Foley and Only Vintage from Henrietta Knight's stable.

Click here for The Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices' Hurdle entries

The ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE NOVICES' HURDLE, run on Wednesday, March 16, has 147 entries with Gold Medallist, an effortless winner of both his hurdling starts for Philip Hobbs, the ante-post favourite. The Charles Egerton-trained It's Just Harry, Pole Star and Reveillez from James Fanshawe's stable, Villon, winner of all his starts for Len Lungo and four-year-old Faasel, a 230,000 guineas sales purchase by Nicky Richards, are others with strong claims while Royal Paradise is one of no less than 51 Irish-trained entries.

Click here for The Royal & Sunalliance Novices' Hurdle entries

There are 89 entries for the JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE, the championship for four-year-olds on Friday, March 18, a contest which looks wide open. Alan King's duo Penzance and Voy Por Ustedes, winners at Huntingdon on Wednesday, the Martin Pipe-trained Miss Academy and Yankeedoodledandy, a three-time winner for trainer Patrick Haslam, are among the leading domestic challengers.

Click here for The Jcb Triumph Hurdle entries

The 21 entries from Ireland include Arch Rebel, winner of his only start for trainer Noel Meade, while Bonbon Rose, who was due to have run at Cheltenham on Saturday, is one of four French-trained entries, as is the Francois Doumen-trained Danaw.

Edward Gillespie, Managing Director of Cheltenham Racecourse, commented: 'It is tremendous to see the new Brit Novices' Hurdle so well supported by a such a great spectrum of trainers from Britain, Ireland and France.The race will embellish the existing Festival programme and the three established championship novice hurdles have also attracted excellent entries.'