The 2019 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle betting tips on Horsebetting.com say top class bumper performer Tornado Flyer is fancied to win the 2m 4f feature contest on Sunday, 6 January for Willie Mullins. Powerful owners Gigginstown House Stud are double-handed in opposition to that one and Battleoverdoyen is feared most. Gordon Elliott’s other runner Commander Of Fleet, meanwhile, is an each-way alternative to consider now stepped back up in trip. For more on these horses’ hopes of Grade 1 glory, read our detailed 2019 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle betting tips preview.Tornado Flyer looks good in Lawlor’s of Naas Novice HurdleThe big race in Ireland this weekend is the 2m 4f Grade 1 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle on Sunday (13:50), and Tornado Flyer is fancied to follow-up on a very taking bow over obstacles. This feature contest at Naas has been farmed by trainer Willie Mullins in recent years, who has won it seven times since 2005 and in four of the last five seasons.
In Tornado Flyer, the Closutton handler has a Grade 1 winning bumper performer who reversed Cheltenham form on Relegate and Carefully Selected when improving past his stable companions to land the Champion Irish National Hunt Flat Race at the Punchestown Festival in April. After being held-up in mid-division, this son of Flemensfirth improved through the field and was ridden into third two out.
Tornado Flyer then ran on well in-between horses to lead inside the final furlong and stay on well under Robbie Degan for a 1 1/4 lengths success over Blackbow. Carefully Selected, who had finished about three lengths in front of him at Cheltenham, was beaten a similar margin here and the front three pulled three lengths clear of the fourth horse home.
The form of these championship bumper contests must always be respected, so it was no surprise to see Tornado Flyer come out this season and make a winning hurdles bow back at Punchestown over this trip and on this going. After racing keenly and chasing the leaders, he was switched left in third going well under Ruby Walsh after two out and took things up before the last.
As Tornado Flyer just needed pushing clear on the run-in, his jockey was able to ease him close home and he was thus value for more than the winning margin. The fifth horse home Cuneo has since come out and won a handicap at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, while the seventh Press Conference bested highly-regarded Mullins stablemate Annamix at Limerick over the festive period.
This obviously demands more than a maiden hurdle, but a slight tendency to jump left is no problem at Naas and, given his trainer’s superb record in this, Tornado Flyer looks the one to beat. He is thus our main selection in these 2019 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle betting tips.Battleoverdoyen respected and rates a big dangerThis is a very competitive renewal, but challenging Tornado Flyer at the head of the market is the Gordon Elliott trained Battleoverdoyen, who is unbeaten. The Gigginstown House Stud owned gelding is six, like his fellow market principal, and won an Irish point by three lengths back in April 2017.
Battleoverdoyen then followed-up on his debut under rules in November when a comfortable 6 1/2 lengths victory in a Punchestown bumper. He raced a close-up second for much of the contest before throwing down a challenge entering the home straight and coming under a ride when hitting the front over a furlong from home to readily assert thereafter.
It was a taking display and the son of Doyen then made an even more impressive hurdles bow at Navan last month when bolting up by 13 lengths. You can question what Battleoverodyen beaten, but it was visually impressive and he had those in-behind well strung out.
Jack Kennedy again takes the ride here and is operating at a 20 per cent strike rate in the last 14 days at the time of writing. With plenty more improvement to come, Battleoverdoyen is thus feared most and our 2019 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle betting tips say he can give Tornado Flyer plenty to think about.Commander Of Fleet an each-way puntA few are in with chances of a place, but Gigginstown’s other runner Commander Of Fleet appeals most each-way now stepped back up in trip. Tackling 2m last time out didn’t look far enough for him, and the son of Fame And Glory landed the other valuable bumper at the Punchestown Festival earlier in the year.
Also trained by Elliott, Commander Of Fleet was a runaway winner of that National Hunt Flat Race by an impressive 8 1/2 lengths. He was in such a commanding position on hurdles debut over 2m 4f at Punchestown in November that he could afford to wander on the run-in and still score by cosy six lengths and run his rivals ragged.
Connections then dropped Commander Of Fleet back in distance for the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at the Fairyhouse Winter Festival last month. It was inadequate trip for him and he dropped to fourth before the final flight, but was only beaten 8 1/4 lengths.
This return to an intermediate trip is far more to his tastes, and Davy Russell is again booked in the saddle. Commander Of Fleet gets a handy 3lb from all but one of the field in this and that weight could have a big say at the business end of affairs, so he’s readily put up as the each-way punt in our 2019 Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle betting tips.Your Next Bet
