Free Horse Racing Tip – Betfair Hurdle

Looking ahead at the ante-post market for the Betfair Hurdle, one entry jumps out as the free horse racing tip for form expert Alan Kelly.

With a current entry of 53 and a maximum field size of 24, Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle on Saturday 11th February looks potentially one of the most competitive handicaps of the National Hunt season. But it is just possible that the handicapper may have totally underestimated the chance of the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyandy who has been set to compete off a mark of only 135 and is selected for this week’s racing tip.

The six-year-old battled on gamely to record a nose victory over Battleford in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and while the son of Kayf Tara has yet to get off the mark in three attempts over hurdles the gelding could hardly have been faced with stiffer tasks for a novice in races at Perth, Cheltenham and Sandown.

Betfair Hurdle ante-post tip

In the first of those contests (see the video above) Ballyandy came up against Moon Racer, 5-1 favourite for the Supreme Novices Hurdle, and made David Pipe’s charge pull out all of the stops to record a three quarters of a length victory. The pair met again on their next start at Prestbury Park, with the same result, only the slow pace was all against Ryan Hatch’s mount – something which the gelding is unlikely to encounter at the Berkshire venue in just over two weeks time.

Sent off a warm 11-10 favourite at Sandown on his most recent start Ballyandy found Messire Des Obeaux, a half length too good, but that form received a massive boost when that horse proceeded to trot up in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury on the last day of the year. Available at 8-1 with most bookmakers for the Betfair Hurdle it would be no surprise to see our ante-post tip go off at half of those odds on the day to give Twiston-Davies a second Betfair Hurdle win following Splash Of Ginge in 2014.

Recommended Betting tip – 2 points each-way Ballyandy