2026 Champion Novice Chase Betting Tips
Kitzbuhel has landed three wins from his previous four efforts and the six-year-old was the winner of the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham. The 11/1 shot obliged by a narrow margin after previously unseating his rider at Sandown Park. That was at the end of January although it had been preceded by wins at Punchestown and Kempton.
Indeed, we're talking about the winner of the Kauto Star Novices' Chase on Boxing Day, although the bookies have installed his stablemate as the slight favourite. Final Demand could return to winning ways after being narrowly beaten by Kitzbuhel at Cheltenham. There was everything to like about his festive win back at Limerick even if he disappointed at Leopardstown.
The Big Westerner is the horse most likely to break the Willie Mullins stranglehold in this race. Henry De Bromhead has a smart performer who comes into the race off the back of a win at Limerick in December. Since then, he has been kept fresh although this festive success saw the 11/8 shot oblige by nearly three lengths over two miles, six and a half furlongs.
Fleur In The Park and Kappa Jy Pyke are other contenders that are worth a second look. The former has collected a couple of wins this season, with the latest coming at massive odds of 22/1. That Fairyhouse success saw the horse beat the latter who was sent off as the 11/4 joint-favourite. The latter had a January win at Punchestown and it would be no surprise to see him finish in the frame.
2025 Champion Novice Chase Betting Tips
Ballyburn is a classy operator who is trading as the marginal favourite when it comes to the Champion Novice Chase. The seven-year-old was strong favourite in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, although the horse could only manage a fifth-placed finish. Perhaps he will bounce back here if the runner is able to produce a clean round of jumping.
Lecky Watson was sent off as a 20/1 shot in the same race before landing a victory and you won’t find anything like this price for the Punchestown encounter. The seven-year-old has now landed a hat-trick of wins for Willie Mullins this term, with the horse also having won at this track already this term. That victory happened in January.
Dancing City fell at Aintree earlier this month when tumbling in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase and that came after a disappointing showing at Cheltenham. There was previously a win at Naas at the end of January and there was also a success at Punchestown in December. The horse’s track record suggests that the horse could go well at a price.
Impaire Et Passe has won three of his four outings this term and is another Mullins runner with a solid chance of victory. There was a victory at Aintree in early April in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase. There was also a third-placed finish in the Ladbrokes Novices Chase and that came after a December success at Limerick.