Horse racing punters have had to wait for more than a year since the last race, but now the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle is just around the corner.
This grade one Merseyside race is open to novice hurdlers with horses aged four years or older. It’s an event with almost half a century of history, with the first race held in 1977. Racers compete on a two-mile, four-furlong track in Aintree, Merseyside.
Punters love this race because it is a wide-open competition. In fact, there has never been a horse to win the race twice, which makes it possible to win on a horse with quite long odds. Let’s see what fans can expect from this year’s race.
| Date | 9th of April, 2022 |
| Start Time (GMT) | 14:25 |
| Distance | 2m 4f |
| Type | Novice hurdle race |
| Prize | £100,000 |
| Where to Watch | |
| Horses’ Age | 4+ |
Mersey Novices’ Hurdle: Recent Winners
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2021 | My Drogo | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 2020* | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2019 | Reserve Tank | Robbie Power | Colin Tizzard |
| 2018 | Black Op | Noel Fehily | Tom George |
| 2017 | Finian’s Oscar | Robbie Power | Colin Tizzard |
| 2016 | Yorkhill | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
Mersey Novices’ Hurdle: Tips, Predictions and Previews
Note: the tips below refer to the 2021 Grand National Festival; updated previews will be available on the week of the 2022 Festival.
My Drogo has been excellent in three wins over hurdles for Dan Skelton and comes into this as a major player. The Irish novice hurdlers have, however, been dominant this spring and with that in mind, BALLYADAM is taken to win. He was no match for Appreciate It in the Supreme, a fortunate and distant second in the end, but his earlier body of work in Ireland is very promising and he looks sure to relish the increased trip. More Grade 1 glory beckons for Rachael Blackmore and Henry De Bromhead.
Selection: Ballyadam @ 11/4
Previous Race: Gaskells Handicap Hurdle
Next Race: Maghull Novices’ Steeplechase
