AS mentioned here before, it has been apparent for some time that J.P. McManus has myriad options with his juvenile hurdlers at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. You have the Fred Winter Hurdle for juveniles these days as well as the Triumph Hurdle, but you also have the option to step into open novice company and take on your elders in the Supreme, and get 8lb from them for your trouble.

It was no surprise, then, that when the entries for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle were published last week, there were 10 juveniles among them, and seven of them were under the green and gold banner.