Cheltenham Festival 2022: Wednesday's Ballymore Novices' Hurdle tips - Journey With Me gets the trip
Kilcruit only third as Journey With Me takes Leopardstown honours
Planet Sport's trio of expert tipsters are back with angles on the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle on Wednesday, March 16. Can anyone usurp Sir Gerhard?
Gather round and hear the Racing Post's David Carr, former Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Dominic Elsworth and Planet Sport tipster Jonathan Doidge chewing the fat on the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.
The Ballymore Novices' Hurdle is the first race on Day 2 of the Festival, going to post at 13:30 on Wednesday, March 16, and you can find all the latest information in
our live race centre.
Much will depend on if everything goes to plan for Willie Mullins' favourite Sir Gerhard but if this turns into a scrap then Henry De Bromhead's Journey With Me, Paul Nicholls' Stage Star and Gordon Elliott's Three Stripe Life will be waiting in the wings.
Here's how Planet Sport's trio of experts see things playing out in the two miles, five furlong contest.
Journey With Me - David Carr (Racing Post)
"The one horse who could be really good is Journey With Me, won both starts over hurdles, still looked green last time, plenty of improvement to come and I think if there is a superstar in the race it's him."
Stage Star - Dominic Elsworth (Cheltenham Festival winning jockey)
"It has been publicised that Paul Nicholls has a smaller string, however I do fancy Star Stage in this, he's done nothing wrong, admittedly hasn't beaten a lot in his races over here but has won a Grade 1 and he's definitely been the one to go forward with."
Journey With Me - Jonathan Doidge (Planet Sport Tipster)
"A bit of value here with Journey With Me who easily won his Irish point, won a bumper and then beat Minella Crooner, who is many people's idea of the Albert Bartlett winner, on his hurdles debut in a Leopardstown maiden over Christmas.
"Didn't need to be as good as that to comfortably defy a penalty at Naas in a novice hurdle last month. He does step up hugely in grade here but I'm taking that as a positive, he could be anything."
