You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2026 Sharp Novices Hurdle Preview
This Novices' Hurdle, registered as the Sharp Novices Hurdle, is open to novices who are aged four or older and is run over a distance of two miles and a half furlong.
Under a restructuring in 2023, the race was removed from the November Meeting and now takes place in October at the Showcase Meeting.
Winning Form Is Key
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Sharp Novices' Hurdle Information:
- Sharp Novices' Hurdle Past Winners
- Sharp Novices' Hurdle Trainer Statistics
- Sharp Novices' Hurdle Jockey Statistics
We also have a dedicated Cheltenham tips page that will cover this race, as well as all the other races on the day. See which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are predicting to win this race and the others on the cards. You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Other Principal Races at Cheltenham Racecourse section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026 (UKGC Regulated)
How competitive is the Sharp Novices' Hurdle market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2021, when the race had an over-round of 105%. The race in 2025 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 122%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Sharp Novices' Hurdle, the over-round has been 113%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £113 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Sharp Novices' Hurdle Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Sharp Novices' Hurdle Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Sharp Novices' Hurdle races over the last 20 renewals:
- Elixir De Nutz (3:51.20) in 2018
- Valgrand (3:52.03) in 2024
- Fortune De Mer (3:56.02) in 2025
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Sharp Novices' Hurdle next time out, then you would have backed a total of 3 winners. Backing all 20 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -12.67. Ahead of the 2026 Sharp Novices' Hurdle, why not head over to the racing predictions for tips on other races today?
Over the last 20 renewals, it was Elixir De Nutz, trained by Colin Tizzard and ridden by Harry Cobden, who set the fastest winning time in the Sharp Novices' Hurdle. That runner won the race in a time of 3:51.20 in 2018. At the other end of the scale, it was the combination of trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey R Walsh with Dodging Bullets who set the slowest winning time; the race-winning time was 4:27.00 in the 2012 renewal.
Sharp Novices Hurdle Past Winners
Here are the Sharp Novices' Hurdle past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Sharp Novices' Hurdle are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 3:56.02 | Fortune De Mer (IRE) 5yo 11-2 14/1 | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2024 3:52.03 | Valgrand (FR) 5yo 11-2 3/1 | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2023 3:58.30 | Lookaway (IRE) 6yo 11-2 9/2 | Jack Quinlan Neil King (GB) |
| 2022 4:00.04 | Fennor Cross (IRE) 5yo 11-2 3/1 | Simon Torrens John C McConnell (IRE) |
| 2021 3:59.96 | I Like To Move It (GB) 4yo 11-3 4/6F | Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies (GB) |
| 2020 4:13.96 | For Pleasure (IRE) 5yo 11-0 14/1 | Harry Bannister Alex Hales (GB) |
| 2019 4:10.60 | Hang In There (IRE) 5yo 11-0 6/1 | Adam Wedge Emma Lavelle (GB) |
| 2018 3:51.20 | Elixir De Nutz (FR) 4yo 11-0 5/1 | Harry Cobden Colin Tizzard (GB) |
| 2017 4:07.40 | Slate House (IRE) 5yo 11-0 5/2 | Harry Cobden Colin Tizzard (GB) |
| 2016 4:06.60 | Moon Racer (IRE) 7yo 11-4 9/4 | Tom Scudamore David Pipe (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Sharp Novices' Hurdle have been based:
- GB: 17 winners with an additional 23 placings from 105 runners
- IRE: 3 winners with an additional 4 placings from 31 runners
- UAE: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
- CZE: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
2025 Sharp Novices Hurdle Replay
Sharp Novices Hurdle Trainer Statistics
There are multiple leading trainers in the Sharp Novices' Hurdle over the last 20 renewals, with Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson, Dan Skelton, and David Pipe having all won the race twice. Paul Nicholls winners have been with Imsingingtheblues (2007) and Dodging Bullets (2012). Nicky Henderson winners have been with Vyta Du Roc (2014) and Altior (2015). Dan Skelton winners have been with Valgrand (2024) and Fortune De Mer (2025). David Pipe winners have been with The Liquidator (2013) and Moon Racer (2016).
Here are some of the top Sharp Novices' Hurdle trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Nicholls | 14-2-5 | +3.25 | +0.36 |
| Nicky Henderson | 8-2-4 | -1.00 | -1.17 |
| Dan Skelton | 6-2-3 | +13.00 | +7.90 |
| David Pipe | 5-2-2 | +0.75 | -1.59 |
| Nigel Twiston-Davies | 7-1-1 | -5.33 | -6.00 |
| Alex Hales | 2-1-1 | +13.00 | +8.75 |
| John C McConnell | 2-1-1 | +2.00 | +0.80 |
| Henry De Bromhead | 2-1-1 | +1.50 | +0.50 |
| Mrs John Harrington | 2-1-1 | +0.38 | -0.17 |
| Charlie Mann | 1-1-1 | +16.00 | +9.60 |
Sharp Novices Hurdle Jockey Statistics
Two jockeys have led the Sharp Novices' Hurdle over the last 20 renewals, with both Harry Skelton and Harry Cobden winning the race twice. Harry Skelton winners have been Valgrand (2024) and Fortune De Mer (2025). Harry Cobden's wins have been with Slate House (2017) and Elixir De Nutz (2018).
Here are some of the top Sharp Novices' Hurdle jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Skelton | 6-2-3 | +13.00 | +7.90 |
| Harry Cobden | 6-2-2 | +3.50 | +0.69 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 7-1-2 | -5.33 | -5.36 |
| Harry Bannister | 1-1-1 | +14.00 | +8.75 |
| Adam Wedge | 1-1-1 | +6.00 | +3.75 |
| Jack Quinlan | 1-1-1 | +4.50 | +2.70 |
| Simon Torrens | 1-1-1 | +3.00 | +1.80 |
| Nico de Boinville | 1-1-1 | +2.00 | +1.25 |
| Sean Bowen | 4-0-1 | -4.00 | -2.30 |
| Gavin Sheehan | 3-0-3 | -3.00 | +1.77 |
2026 Sharp Novices Hurdle Trends
Favourites' finishing positions (oldest to latest): 6, 9, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 3, 5, 3, 3, 2, 1, 3, 5, 2, 7
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (75%) - No bigger than 4/1 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (75%) - No bigger than 16/1
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Highest Won is not G3/Cl5-6
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Had 1 - 4 placings (Season)
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Achieved a TS of 68+ (Season)
- 20 / 20 (81%) - Not in a G1-2/Cl5-6 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Ran in 1 - 7 races (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Achieved a TS of 81+ (Career)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Had 1 - 6 placings (Hurdle)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Had 1 - 5 wins (Career)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Not in a Handicap (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Ran in 1 - 9 races (Hurdle)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - In a field of 4 - 14 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Achieved an RPR of 113+ (Career)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Carried 151 - 164lbs (LTO)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Cheltenham racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Sharp Novices' Hurdle. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Sharp Novices' Hurdle by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
2026 Sharp Novices' Hurdle Runners & Shortlist
The runners and the final trends shortlist for the 2026 renewal of the Sharp Novices' Hurdle will be added once the final declarations are confirmed, which are usually made 48 hours before the race.
Sharp Novices Hurdle Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +37.67, is when runners ran on Good ground when last winning.
❌ The worst-performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran in a race worth £5k on debut; when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-22.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Sharp Novices' Hurdle is Cheltenham; there have been a total of 5 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 128 runners, while female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 10 runners.
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Moon Over Miami in 2006, winning for Charlie Mann at odds of 16/1 under the guidance of Noel Fehily. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 5 winning favourites in the race. Ahead of the 2026 Sharp Novices' Hurdle, why not head over to the best racing tipster page to see what the tipsters are backing today?
Route to the Sharp Novices Hurdle
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Sharp Novices' Hurdle. These are the races in which the recent winners ran before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Fortune De Mer Uttoxeter - 3rd of 9 (6/5) | Boots Opticians Uttoxeter Maiden Hurdle |
| 2024 - Valgrand Bangor - 1st of 7 (1/4) | Minimum £50,000 tote Placepot Everyday Novices Hurdle |
| 2023 - Lookaway Uttoxeter - 1st of 6 (1/5) | Trinity Create Novices Hurdle |
| 2022 - Fennor Cross Cheltenham - 1st of 11 (4/1) | Foundation Developments Ltd Maiden Hurdle |
| 2021 - I Like To Move It Cheltenham - 1st of 4 (10/3) | Masterson Holdings Hurdle |
| 2020 - For Pleasure Kempton - 4th of 5 (7/5) | Racing TV Novices Hurdle |
| 2019 - Hang In There Exeter - 1st of 14 (2/1) | Watch Irish Racing On Racing TV Maiden Hurdle |
| 2018 - Elixir De Nutz Cheltenham - 2nd of 13 (14/1) | Foundation Developments Ltd Maiden Hurdle |
| 2017 - Slate House Cheltenham - 1st of 8 (5/4) | Foundation Developments Ltd Maiden Hurdle |
| 2016 - Moon Racer Perth - 1st of 5 (5/6) | Racing Post Readers Award Novices Hurdle |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Sharp Novices' Hurdle Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
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