The 2016 Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle

Commonly known as "The Neptune", this is a Grade 1 novices hurdle open to horses aged four years or older, run over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs and with ten hurdles to be jumped.

The event was established in 1971, and it was initially called the Aldsworth Hurdle. The insurance company Sun Alliance (later Royal & Sun Alliance) began sponsoring the race in 1974, and it became known as the Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle. This association continued until 2006, and for the following three years the event was backed by Ballymore Properties.

There were high winds on the day of the planned running in 2008, so the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle was rescheduled and run on Cheltenham's New Course. A new sponsor, Neptune Investment Management, began supporting the race in 2010.

The registered (non-sponsored) title of the race is now the Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle. This is in honour of Baring Bingham, a developer who purchased Prestbury Park in 1898, and organised the first Cheltenham Festival in 1902.

Previous winners include subsequent Champion Hurdlers Istabraq, Hardy Eustace and Faugheen as well as former forum favourite Peddler's Cross.

Betting for this year's heat is dominated by Alan King's Yanworth. The JP McManus owned gelding was already something of a talking horse in bumpers and finished 4th to Moon Racer in the 2015 Champion Bumper. He is unbeaten in 4 starts over hurdles this winter, including a nonchalant victory in one of the sponsors prep races last time out where he cruised past Shantou Village with Barry Geraghty motionless. Most firm are odds-on about his chances but Paddy Power are offering 6/5 against. At that price on spring ground he is too skinny for me. Next in the betting come 4 Willie Mullins trained runners, A Toi Phil ("He's either Neptune or the long one. I imagine he might be Neptune. Gigginstown have a lot of horses for the Albert Bartlett, so he might be Neptune"), Bellshill ("His performance the other day suggested he should go for the Neptune"), Yorkhill ("I think he'll be going for the Supreme") and Long Dog ("He's in the Neptune and the Albert Bartlett. It's the same with Thomas Hobson and they all have these options, but I'm thinking Albert Bartlett for Thomas Hobson, so that leaves Long Dog with the Neptune"), and I have added the comments of Mullins during the Sporting Life interview he gave - make your own minds up. I have an ante post win bet on Shantou Village at shorter odds than he currently trades () and hope I get a run for my money.

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