Confirmed runners and riders for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham

Big-money buy Hermes Allen will take on the well-regarded Weveallbeencaught in Friday’s feature Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham (3.30).

Hermes Allen cost £350,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December sale last year and routed a novice hurdle at Stratford by 27 lengths on his debut for Paul Nicholls last month.

Nigel Twiston-Davies expressed similarities between Weveallbeencaught, a £210,000 buy at the Tattersalls Cheltenham January sale this year, and Imperial Commander after the five-year-old won a bumper at Newbury in March.

He said: “We bought him as a Gold Cup horse and that's what we're going for. He's very similar to Imperial Commander. That's big talk, but that's the idea we've got.”

Hermes Allen and Weveallbeencaught are among seven declarations for the Grade 2 event, with Willie Mullins saddling Hubrisko and Gordon Elliott running Music Drive.

Coneygree and Thyme Hill feature on the race’s honour roll in the past decade and Blazing Khal was successful for Charles Byrnes last year.

Willie Mullins: runs Hubrisko in the Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham on FridayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

There were 74 declarations across the six-race card, with the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle attracting the smallest field and the opening and concluding handicap hurdles attracting maximum fields of 20.

Irish-trained horses account for 15 of the 40 runners in those two handicaps, with 20 Irish-trained runners declared on the opening day’s card.

The cross-country chase has been moved to the conventional chase course due to quick ground, with Elegant Escape and Ballyandy featuring in nine declarations for the veterans' handicap chase (2.55), one of four races televised on ITV4.

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle runners and riders

Collectors Item Jonjo O'Neill Jr
Getaway Drumlee Kielan Woods
Hermes Allen Harry Cobden
Hubrisko Paul Townend
Music Drive Jack Kennedy
Quid Pro Quo Harry Skelton
Weveallbeencaught Sam Twiston-Davies

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (Cheltenham, Friday 3.30)

Paddy Power: 5-2 Hermes Allen, Weveallbeencaught, 7-2 Music Drive, 11-2 Hubrisko, 7 Quid Pro Quo, 11 Collectors Item, 14 Getaway Dundee

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