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Pulse Racing
Supreme Novices'
Detailed race analysis for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival
* note all data is from 2016 unless otherwise stated.
RACE SUMMARY
The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, first run as the Gloucestershire Hurdle in 1946, is the traditional curtain-raiser to the Cheltenham Festival. It’s greeted by the famous Cheltenham roar!
A Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race, it is run over 2 miles on the Old Course, with eight hurdles to negotiate. Open to novice hurdlers aged four and older, it is a searching test of speed, jumping accuracy and stamina.
The race adopted the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle title in 1978 and has become a major springboard for future stars.
WINNING PROFILE
AVERAGE AGE
5.8
151
AVERAGE OFFICIAL RATING
AVERAGE HURDLE RUNS PRIOR
3.0
PATH TO CHELTENHAM
The following races have produced the most Supreme Novices' Hurdle winners since 2016:
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(4) Chanelle / Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle (Leopardstown, February)
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(2) Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle (Sandown, January)
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(2) Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Fairyhouse, December)
Number of horses that ran in these races and went on to win at Cheltenham that season in brackets.
TRAINER WINS
TRAINER S/R
WINS BY AGE
PULSE STOPPER
Horses rated below 146 are one for sixty-six (1.5%)
Although only three favourites have won the Supreme since 2016, runners at 10/1 or higher are one for ninety-seven (1.03%)
PULSE INSIGHT
In the last decade graded experience is key for the Supreme with all bar one with a Graded win prior to the festival. (Shishkin being the exception)
Six winners had won a Grade 1 race, with two winners contesting a Grade 1. Two others won Grade 2 races whilst Labaik won a Grade 3.
In all, nineteen Grade 1 hurdle winners ran in the Supreme with six of them winning (S/R 31.6%)
Horses rated 152+ are five for fourteen (S/R 35.7%) and would have returned a profit of £8.5 to a £1 level stake. When only backing Mullins and Henderson horses at or over the 152 mark it’s five from eleven (S/R 45.5%) and a profit of £11.50.
Henderson himself has a strong record in the Supreme with four winners since 2016 at a strike rate over 28%. Furthermore, Henderson has had only four entries at OR 151 or over. Of these three won and the only defeat was to his own horse when Altior won in 2016 and Buveur D'air was third, though went on to win two Champion Hurdles in the following years.
PULSE EDGE
PULSE SUMMARY
Follow the "Path to Cheltenham"
As a novice race with the winners averaging less than three runs it is worth following previous paths to identify potential contenders. Horses which ran in the Chanelle / Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in February have won four Supreme's in the last eight renewals from eighteen runners (22.2%). Going deeper, three of the four won that prep race, the other, Slade Steel, was 2nd to Ballyburn who won the Baring Bingham that year, so this is clearly a great prep race to note.
Since 2019 runners in the Channelle / Tattersalls have resulted in no fewer than nine Festival winners. (See our Path to Cheltenham feature for more information)
Grade 1 form is a positive with 54.5% (6/11) of Supreme winners having won a Grade 1 hurdle at a strike rate of 31.6% (6/19).
PULSE VERDICT
Pulse Rate
Channelle Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle Prep 4/18 | 22.2%
Pulse Stopper
Official Rating 145 and lower 1/66 | 1.5%
Pulse Insight
Prior Grade 1 Winners 6/19 | 31.6%
Pulse Edge
Henderson & OR 151+ 3/4 | 75%
ALL DATA FROM 2016 UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
LAST UPDATED SEPT 2026