Horsebetting.com give their 2018 Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle betting tips for the three-year-olds’ Grade 2 contest at the November Meeting at Cheltenham. Cracker Factory sets a clear form standard on his Listed win last time out, so is the value bet to land the spoils in this 2m race on Saturday, 17 November. Unexposed JP McManus owned filly Never Adapt is feared most as she hails from the in-form yard of champion trainer Nicky Henderson. Quel Destin, meanwhile, is the obvious each-way alternative bet to make the frame. For more on this competitive juvenile contest, read our 2018 Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle betting tips preview.Cracker Factory the Prestbury Juvenile puntBarbary Castle handler Alan King knows what it takes to train a Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle winner after his back-to-back successes in this Grade 2 contest in 2006 and 2007. He has a leading contender for this year’s renewal of the 2m race for three-year-olds in Cracker Factory, who brings the best form into this event at Cheltenham on Saturday (12:40).
Although he failed to trouble the judge in four starts on the Flat an all-weather, the son of Poet’s Voice has a progressive profile since being sent hurdling by connections and won four of his five starts in this sphere. This Simon Munir and Isaac Souede owned gelding beat Chief Justice by seven lengths on his debut over the obstacles at Aintree in June and confirmed the form last time out.
Cracker Factory then landed consecutive contests at Newton Abbot by a combined margin of 47 lengths. You can question what he beat, but there’s no doubt he was visually impressive on both of these outings leaving the opposition in his wake. He gave weight away to the tune out 8lb and up all-round to rivals on this third hurdles start but still ran out a facile winner.
Although then turned over at Market Rasen by Jack Regan, Cracker Factory was again in under penalties. When you consider he gave the winner 8lb, he was far from disgraced when beaten just 2 1/4 lengths and the front two pulled 11 lengths clear of the third home to give the form a solid look.
Connections then stepped Cracker Factory up to Listed level last time out and the Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle at Wetherby’s Charlie Hall meeting at the start of this month. Sent off the 7/4 favourite, he was pushed along by the owners’ retained rider Daryl Jacob to challenge three out and soon led after the penultimate flight.
With Cracker Factory soon in command, all that remained was to ride him out for a comfortable seven lengths victory over Chief Justice, who had notched a hat-trick in between battles with this old rival. This was a step back in the right direction and it’s no surprise to see Cracker Factory on the upgrade here.
At the odds on offer, he looks a value bet to continue the progress he’s made throughout the summer on good ground he clearly relishes. With trainer King operating a better than 20 per cent strike rate over the last fortnight at the time of writing, it’s Cracker Factory who is taken to land the spoils in our 2018 Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle betting tips.Never Adapt a respected and unexposed dangerChampion trainer Nicky Henderson and leading Irish owner JP McManus teamed up last year to land this race with Apple’s Shakira. Those same connections have another highly-regarded French filly in this renewal in Never Adapt, who is feared most given who she represents.
She’s the daughter of 2001 Prix du Jockey Club winner Anabaa Blue and a Hawk Wing mare. Never Adapt has had just one run in France when in the care of Guillaume Macaire when bolting up by 10 lengths in a conditions race back in March on heavy ground.
None of her rivals that day that completed have come out and won since, so the form is questionable. McManus only buys horses with huge potential, however, and the 7lb sex allowance Never Adapt receives from Cracker Factory is an obvious plus that makes her claims of a debut victory for her new trainer and owner clear.
With Barry Geraghty in the saddle, the winning rider in this race for three of the last five renewals, a bold bid looks assured from this unexposed filly. It’s Never Adapt who can give Cracker Factory the most to think about, according to these 2018 Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle betting tips.Quel Destin each-way valueOnly seven go to post here, yet topping the official (of those with a mark) and Racing Post ratings is Quel Destin, who was beaten by the re-opposing Montestrel at Chepstow but has won since and is now better off at the weights. Trained by Paul Nicholls, the son of Muhtahir won his final start in France before leaving Guy Cherel to join the Ditcheat handler.
Quel Destin was beaten just 1 1/2 lengths by the game Montestrel in the Champion Hats Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow on British debut in October. Including Lizzie Kelly’s 3lb claim, he gave the winner 9lb that day and now they re-oppose off 3lb better terms for Nicholls’ runner.
This is because Kelly cannot use her allowance in this Grade 2 contest and that looks enough to suggest Quel Destin can reverse the form. He has demonstrated progress since Chepstow when bolting up by a dozen lengths at Kempton giving weight all-round.
As with all these juveniles, he’s open to any amount of progress. So, with the prospect of even more to come, Quel Destin looks the only each-way alternative if one or other of the first two in the market don’t live up to expectations. He thus rounds off our 2018 Prestbury Juvenile Hurdle betting tips preview.Your Next Bet
