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2022 Boodles’ Handicap Hurdle Tips - Two selections in this juvenile cavalry charge

By Jon Vine

04 Mar 2022

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Jon Vine 04 Mar 2022

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Ante-post tips and odds for the 2022 Boodles’ Handicap Hurdle
This handicap takes place on day one of the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday 15th March 2022
We're taking on firm favourite Gaelic Warrior with Irish rival The Tide Turns
We've also backed Too Friendly at an each way price

Expired

A view of the runners in the The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. (Getty)

The second of two handicaps to be played out on Champions Day is the Boodles’ Handicap Hurdle. This two-mile contest is open only two four-year-olds and horses who run here often haven’t quite made the cut for the Grade One Triumph Hurdle, which opens the card on Gold Cup day.

We’ve taken a look through the latest Boodles Handicap Hurdle betting, listed some key ten-year trends and picked out two horses to back.

2022 Boodles Handicap Hurdle Odds

Name	Odds
Gaelic Warrior	5/2
The Tide Turns	11/2
Champion Green	8/1
Brazil	9/1
Icare Allen	9/1
Bar	12/1

2022 Boodles Handicap Hurdle Trends

All of the last 10 winners were having their first start at Cheltenham
All of the last 10 winners were making their handicap debut
9 of the last 10 winners had won during that season

2022 Boodles Handicap Hurdle Runners

Gaelic Warrior2022 Boodles Handicap Hurdle FavouriteGET 5/2 HERE

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This handicap revolves around Gaelic Warrior, who’s been backed into 5/2 since the weights were announced and could end up going off at an incredibly short price.

Willie Mullins’ French recruit ran three times in his homeland, finishing sixth once and third twice. Whispers coming out of Ireland suggested that their handicapper would have given Gaelic Warrior a mark in the high 130s. So, after the British handicapper handed Mullins’ juvenile a rating of 129, he’s been smashed in the betting. I’m happy to leave the favourite alone at that sort of price, but it’ll be very interesting to see how he gets on.

British challengers Saint Segal and Forever Blessed sit fairly prominently in the market and could attract each-way support. Punters should know, though, that every single winner of the Boodles has either run on the flat or run in France before going over hurdles in the UK or Ireland – a trend which all-but rules those two out.

2022 Boodles Handicap Hurdle Tip 1 – The Tide Turns

The Tide Turns2022 Boodles Handicap Hurdle Tip 1GET 11/2 HERE

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Gordon Elliott always plays a strong hand in the final handicap on day one of the Cheltenham Festival. Elliott could run five or six in this year’s race, but there’s no doubting that THE TIDE TURNS is the best of his bunch.

A two-time winner on the flat for Sir Mark Prescott in 2021, The Tide Turns made the perfect start to his new life in Ireland at Punchestown in January, beating HMS Seahorse, Brazil and Champion Green in a red hot maiden with a little left up his sleeve.

Elliott then ran his budding star in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle during the Dublin Racing Festival. The Tide Turns, who had travelled comfortably behind the leaders, found himself a little outpaced rounding the tight final bend and Jack Kennedy allowed his mount to coast home in fourth once he knew their chance had gone.

Elliott needed to get a third run into The Tide Turns in order to qualify for this handicap, so he decided to run his four-year-old against older hurdlers in the Grade Three Red Mills Trial Hurdle. Stablemate, Teahupoo announced himself as a Champion Hurdle contender with an excellent performance on the day. The Tide Turns was beaten 23 lengths, but that can still be regarded as a fine effort, especially when you see that last year’s Triumph winner, Quilixios only finished one length ahead of him in third.

The Tide Turns would probably be running in the Triumph Hurdle, if Elliott didn’t already have two of the top three in the market. He clearly has plenty of class, so winning a handicap hurdle off a mark of 137 looks well within his capabilities.

2022 Boodles Handicap Hurdle Tip 2 – Too Friendly

Too Friendly E/W2022 Boodles Handicap Hurdle Tip 2 GET 16/1 HERE

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As far as the British challengers go, I think our best hope is TOO FRIENDLY. Dan Skelton’s star was last seen finishing fourth in the Summit Hurdle at Doncaster, and the three who finished ahead of him - Knight Salute, Porticello and Impulsive One – have all gone on to claim further riches in England’s top juvenile races.

Too Friendly was a very talented flat horse, reaching a mark of 88 for George Scott before he was snapped up by Tim Gredley and moved to the Skelton’s. Despite running very keen, Skelton’s recruit ran out an easy winner of his first hurdles start up at Newcastle, before giving an excellent account of himself in the Summit.

Harry Skelton tried to settle his mount down at the back that day. Too Friendly then made eye-catching progress to get involved on the approach to the second-last, only to run out of steam a little in the closing stages. Skelton's mount will need to settle much quicker at the Cheltenham Festival, but the inevitably hot early pace could prove to be a blessing. Too Friendly is certainly not there to make up the numbers and could be well-treated running off a mark of 125.

Verdict

2022 Boodles Handicap Hurdle

The Tide Turns and Too Friendly are our two selections in the Boodles Handicap Hurdle.

The Tide Turns

Straight Win

@11/2 - 15 Units

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with bonus code NEWBONUS

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Too Friendly

Each-Way

@16/1 - 5 Units

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