Cheltenham Festival: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Supreme Novices' Hurdle

The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is the traditional festival curtain raiser and the start of it is always greeted by the ‘Cheltenham Roar’.

The race is run over the minimum trip of two miles and therefore the focus is on horses who can jump the eight hurdles both accurately and with pace. 

Horses that win this race are fancied to go on to achieve great things, only two years ago Constitution Hill won it. Recent winners include the likes of Altior, Vautour and Douvan. Altior went on to win the Champion Chase twice for Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville while Douvan won the Arkle in 2016.

Willie Mullins is the leading trainer in the race - since 1972 - with seven wins, most recently with Appreciate It in the 2021 renewal.

When is it?

The race has a scheduled off time of 1.30pm on March 12, 2024.

How can I watch?

The race will be broadcast live on ITV and Racing TV, you will also be able to stream it through the SBK app.

The Runners

Ballyburn - 7/4
Tullyhill - 18/5
Firefox - 39/10
Jeriko Du Reponet - 26/5
Mystical Power - 27/5
Slade Steel - 11/1
Tellherthename - 23/2
Asian Master - 25/2
33/2 - BAR

Odds correct as of 3pm Feb 28

Who should you back?

Ballyburn is the favourite and with good reason after comfortably winning the Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. The six-year-old has a BHA rating of 155, in the last ten years 16 horses have arrived at Cheltenham with a rating of at least 153, six have won while five others have placed. 

Ballyburn is also the favourite for the second day’s opening race, the Baring Bingham Novices Hurdle, and trainer Willie Mullins is refusing to publicly commit his horse to either race at this stage. Following a Mullins horse is usually a good idea, he has had a horse finish in the top two of this race in eight of the last ten renewals. Fortunately, he also trains Tullyhill and Mystical Power who are both towards the top of the market.