Confirmed runners and riders for the Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday - plus a big-race tip

Willmount will face eight rivals when he bids to maintain his unbeaten record in the Challow Novices' Hurdle (3.00) at Newbury on Saturday.

The dual bumper winner made a successful debut for Nicky Henderson when scoring by 13 lengths in a 2m½f novice hurdle at this track last month.

Willmount had been due to run at Sandown in a race stablemate Constitution Hill won before landing last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, but the five-year-old was taken out of that Listed contest at the start of last month because of the heavy ground. 

Willmount is a best-priced 12-1 to win the Supreme Novices' Hurdle with bet365 and a general 16-1 for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

Nico de Boinville has been booked to ride the Olly Harris-owned son of Blue Bresil despite being stood down at Kempton on Wednesday. The Seven Barrows stable jockey reportedly sustained a dislocated thumb and was forced to pull up Malystic after one fence of the Desert Orchid Handicap Chase.

De Boinville has three rides at Doncaster on Friday before Newbury where he will also partner Henderson's Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Jeriko De Reponet. The JP McManus-owned four-year-old is no bigger than 8-1 for the Supreme and takes on four rivals in the 2m½f introductory hurdle (12.40) as he aims to back up last month's successful rules debut over course and distance under a penalty.

Jeriko De Reponet had been entered in the Challow but Henderson's other challenger in the £85,000 event will be Brave Jen, who could provide James Bowen with a second Grade 1 victory in a week after his breakthrough success at that level on Jango Baie in the Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day.

Paul Nicholls has won the Challow with subsequent Grade 1-winning chasers Denman, Stage Star and Bravemansgame, while Hermes Allen was second to Il Est Francais in Tuesday's Kauto Star Novices' Chase, having landed this race for the champion trainer 12 months ago.

Nicholls relies on Farnoge, who is unbeaten in three starts under rules, and Champion Bumper third Captain Teague, in a bid to win the Challow for the fourth season in a row.

Captain Teague is the choice of Harry Cobden, having made a successful hurdling debut in the Grade 2 Persian War Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow in October. The Johnny de la Hey-owned five-year-old was second in Grade 2 company last time while Greatwood Hurdle runner-up Lookaway is another who bids to go one better after a Cheltenham defeat in November.

Jonjo O'Neill has trained two of JP McManus' four Challow winners — Wichita Lineman and Backspin — and the pair are represented by the unbeaten Johnnywho.

Last year's runner-up Shanty Alley is one of 12 declared for the prestigious Coral Mandarin Handicap Chase (2.25) which precedes the Challow. 

Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle confirmed runners and riders

Bullets Hill Gavin Sheehan
Captain Teague Harry Cobden
Farnoge Bryony Frost
Johnnywho Jonjo O'Neill Jr
Lookaway Jack Quinlan
Masaccio Tom Cannon
The Jukebox Man Kielan Woods
Willmount Nico de Boinville
Brave Jen James Bowen

Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle tip and 1-2-3 prediction

By Stuart Redding

1 Johnnywho
2 Willmount
3 Captain Teague

This field is full of potentially top-class prospects and Johnnywho catches my eye. He has won both starts in impressive fashion and easily brushed aside the 125-rated Moon D'Orange at Carlisle last month. Connections are wasting no time in stepping him up in grade.

Johnnywho15:00 Newbury

View Racecard

Jky: Jonjo O'Neill Jr Tnr: Jonjo O'Neill

Read more . . .

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