Tipperary 15 5 24 Salvator Mundi wins the Tipperary Town Maiden Hurdle by 62 Lengths © Photo Healy Racing
The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle market is dominated by Irish contenders and since the weekend’s action, Paddy Power has made Salvator Mundi the current favourite while pushing out Romeo Coolio’s price from 8-1f to 20-1. We look at the leading contenders and market movers.
Salvator Mundi 8-1 favourite from 10-1 with Paddy Power
The Willie Mullins-trained Salvator Mundi enjoyed a facile victory in a Tipperary Maiden Hurdle back in May.
He was jumping the final flight by the time the rest had negotiated the second last. At the line, Salvator Mundi had 62 lengths in hand of his toiling rivals.
Prior to that, he finished 6th behind Majborough in the Triumph Hurdle and Mullins said last week:
“He’s another one waiting to come out, he’s had a little early season setback so he’ll be out at Christmas or maybe a bit after. He could be anything.”
Jeroboam Machin 16-1 with Paddy Power
Jeroboam Machin is towards the forefront of the antepost list and was last seen on the track when running out a decisive four-and-a-quarter length winner of the concluding Grade 2 Bumper at Leopardstown in February.
A winner of his racecourse debut at Fairyhouse last November, the Emmet Mullins trained gelding retained his unbeaten record when leading inside the last two furlongs before powering clear of some smart rivals. Mullins said after that win:
“Watching him work the last few weeks wouldn’t inspire confidence and I think I said the same after his debut, he doesn’t show much at home. But any time we take him away he lights up and I don’t mind what he does at home if he saves his best for the track.
Leopardstown 3 February 2024 Jeroboam Machin wins for owner Paul Byrne and trainer Emmet Mullins © Photo Healy Racing
“He’s green but I don’t know if that will come out of him, he comes up the gallop at home as quick with a 90-rated horse as he does a 140-horse, that’s just him. I’m just glad he’s got that bit of class. There’s plenty of horses we have that fall by the wayside, but Paul’s very good, he gives me free rein.
“I picked this lad out of an auction point-to-point which may not have been that sexy, but I loved the way he winged the last that day.”
Redemption Day 16-1 with Paddy Power
Jody Townend partnered her first Grade 1 winner in Redemption Day in the champion bumper at the Punchestown Festival back in May.
Redemption Day powered away from The Yellow Clay inside the final furlong to run away with it by three and three-quarter lengths. Townend said after the comfortable victory:
"Once he settles, he has some engine. He has the turn of foot of a Flat horse. With the turn of foot he has, once he settled I actually didn't mind what they did.
"He went so asleep again, you'd wonder what he is going to do and how much he is going to find. He did the same in Fairyhouse, he just picks up and I was still there too soon again today. Thankfully, it paid off.”
Jasmin De Vaux 16-1 with Paddy Power
Famous for giving Willie Mullins his 100th success at the Cheltenham Festival this Champion Bumper winner saw off Romeo Coolio before disappointing when last seen finishing 8th in the bumper at Punchestown in May.
Mullins said recently in our irishracing.com stable tour: “I thought he looked like one for the staying division, then I was reminded that he won the bumper with lots of speed. We’ll see where we get him away and after two runs it will tell us which division we will go for, but I am thinking more of a staying trip.”
Watch our latest stable tour with Willie Mullins:
Romeo Coolio 20-1 from 8-1 favourite with Paddy Power
The Royal Bond lost Grade 1 status since last year and in Sunday's eight-runner renewal, Gordon Elliott's Romeo Coolio started 1/2 favourite, with trainer Willie Mullins running five and Tounsivator starting as fourth-favourite.
The 138-rated Tounsivator overcame in-running traffic at the second-last to lead approaching at the final flight and eventually saw off Romeo Coolio by 2.5 lengths. Paddy Power reacted by pushing him out to 20-1 for the Supreme from 8-1 favourite.
