WEIGHTS are unveiled today for the £155,000 Group 3 Betfair Hurdle, Britain's richest handicap hurdle, run at Newbury Racecourse on Betfair Super Saturday, February 10th, 2018.

Heading the weights for the Betfair Hurdle, which is staged over two miles and 69 yards, is Defi Du Seuil (Philip Hobbs, 11st 12lb, 14/1 with Betfair), who went through last season unbeaten in seven starts, including Group 1 victories at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals.

The J.P. McManus-owned five-year-old disappointed on his only start so far in the current campaign, when fourth in the G2 Ascot Hurdle in November. Hobbs recently reported that Defi Du Seuil scoped badly after his run at Ascot but is now back on track.

Betfair's 9/1 favourite is Lalor (Richard Woollacott, 10st 6lb). A top-class bumper performer last season, when successful in Group 2 company at Aintree, the six-year-old has yet to win in three starts over hurdles but has placed in three very strong novices' contests.

He was runner-up on his latest start at Cheltenham on December 15th, when he had subsequent G1 Tolworth Hurdle victor Summerville Boy behind him in third.

The 11 Irish-trained entries include Bleu Et Rouge (Willie Mullins, 11st 1lb, 14/1), fourth at Ascot on December 23rd, and Campeador (Gordon Elliott, 11st 6lb, 20/1), who was third in a Group 1 contest at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Also prominent in the ante-post market with Betfair is Kayf Grace (10st 9lb, 10/1), one of nine entries for Nicky Henderson, who has saddled a record five winners of the Betfair Hurdle.

Kayf Grace, a Group 2 bumper winner back in 2016, was an eye-catching winner at Kempton Park over Christmas. If successful on February 10th, she would become only the third mare to win the Betfair Hurdle after Mysilv (1995) and Spirit Leader (2003).

The entries from Seven Barrows also include Lough Derg Spirit (10st 7lb, 10/1), second in the G2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton last time out, and Diese Des Bieffes (10st 6lb, 12/1), a close fifth to stablemate William Henry (11st 6lb, 14/1) in the Listed Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton Park last weekend.

Call Me Lord (11st 7lb, 14/1) scored impressively at Sandown Park on January 6th, while Jenkins (10st 12lb, 14/1) got back to winning ways at Kempton Park on January 13th.

Other leading contenders include Lostintranslation (Colin Tizzard, 10st 3lb, 12/1), winner over the course and distance last time out in a novices' hurdle on December 1, and Silver Streak (Evan Williams, 10st 2lb, 12/1), who was runner-up in a G3 contest at Ascot on December 23rd.

High Bridge (Ben Pauling, 11st 3lb, 14/1) is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles at Newbury including on his latest appearance on December 2nd, while Elgin (Alan King, 11st 6lb) has already scooped valuable prizes at Ascot and Cheltenham so far this season.

Gary Moore, successful three times in the Betfair Hurdle, has two entries headed by Knocknanuss (10st 4lb, 16/1). The eight-year-old was impressive when landing a handicap hurdle under top-weight at Fontwell on Boxing Day.

The other highlights on Betfair Super Saturday are the £50,000 G2 Betfair Denman Chase, a leading trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the £50,000 G2 Betfair Exchange Chase over an extended two miles, won by the Nicky Henderson-trained superstars Sprinter Sacre and Altior in recent years.

Last year's winner Native River (Colin Tizzard), King George VI Chase winner Might Bite (Nicky Henderson) are both possible starters in the Betfair Denman Chase while connections have revealed that Politologue (Paul Nicholls) is being aimed at the Betfair Exchange Chase.

Betfair Hurdle, Betfair bet:

9/1 Lalor; 10/1 Kayf Grace, Lough Derg Spirit; 12/1 Diese Des Bieffes, Lostintranslation, Silver Streak; 14/1 Bleu Et Rouge, Call Me Lord, Defi Du Seuil, High Bridge, Jenkins, Kalashnikov, William Henry; 16/1 Charli Parcs, Elgin, Knocknanuss, Misterton, Pingshou, Poppy Kay, Verdana Blue; 20/1 Campeador, Coeur Blimey, Irish Roe, Lagostovegas, Moon Racer, William H Bonney; 25/1 Ben Dundee, Cliffs of Dover, Dame Rose, Divin Bere, Dolciano Dici, Duca De Thaix, Magic Dancer, Meri Devie, Mont Des Avaloirs, Spiritofthegames, Waterlord, Wishfull Dreaming.

The Betfair Hurdle

Grade 3 handicap hurdle, £155,000 Total Prize Fund. 3.35pm, Saturday, February 10, 2018. For four-year-olds and upwards, two miles and half a furlong (2m 69yds). Penalties: after January 14th, a winner of a hurdle 5lb, a winner of two hurdles 8lb, no penalty to increase a horse's weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed January 9th, entries revealed January 10th (59 entries), weights revealed January 17th. Scratchings deadline January 23rd, five-day confirmation stage February 5th, final declaration stage 10.00am, February 8th. Maximum field 24 runners plus two reserves.

Horse Age Wgt Owner Trainer

DEFI DU SEUIL (FR) 5 11-12 J P McManus Philip Hobbs

CALL ME LORD (FR) 5 11-07 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson

CAMPEADOR (FR) 6 11-06 J P McManus Gordon Elliott IRE

ELGIN 6 11-06 Elite Racing Club Alan King

WILLIAM HENRY (IRE) 8 11-06 Walters Plant Hire Ltd Nicky Henderson

IRVING 10 11-04 Axom XLIX Paul Nicholls

PINGSHOU (IRE) 8 11-03 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Colin Tizzard

HIGH BRIDGE 7 11-03 Margaret Ferguson Ben Pauling

LAGOSTOVEGAS (IRE) 6 11-02 John Donohue Willie Mullins IRE

MISTER MIYAGI (IRE) 9 11-02 Ben Turner & Jay Tabb Dan Skelton

BLEU ET ROUGE (FR) 7 11-01 J P McManus Willie Mullins IRE

VERDANA BLUE (IRE) 6 11-00 Crimbourne Stud Nicky Henderson

VOIX DU REVE (FR) 6 11-00 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE

CLIFFS OF DOVER 5 11-00 John & Barbara Cotton Paul Nicholls

CHARLI PARCS (FR) 5 11-00 J P McManus Nicky Henderson

DIVIN BERE (FR) 5 10-13 Chris Giles Paul Nicholls

JENKINS (IRE) 6 10-12 Pump & Plant Services Ltd Nicky Henderson

MOON RACER (IRE) 9 10-11 Prof Caroline Tisdall & Bryan Drew David Pipe

MISTERTON 7 10-11 Wilkin, Orr, Boileau & Sim Harry Fry

CHTI BALKO (FR) 6 10-11 D G Carrington Donald McCain

KALASHNIKOV (IRE) 5 10-10 Paul Murphy Amy Murphy

MONT DES AVALOIRS (FR) 5 10-10 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls

PROJECT BLUEBOOK (FR) 5 10-10 J P McManus John Quinn

DAME ROSE (FR) 5 10-09 Carl Hinchy Richard Hobson

EL TERREMOTO (FR) 6 10-09 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies

KARALEE (FR) 7 10-09 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE

KAYF GRACE 8 10-09 James and Jean Potter Nicky Henderson

GWAFA (IRE) 7 10-09 Saleh Al Homaizi & Imad Al Sagar Paul Webber

BEN DUNDEE (IRE) 6 10-08 CJones Gordon Elliott IRE

REMILUC (FR) 9 10-08 Gilbert & Gamble Chris Gordon

MERI DEVIE (FR) 5 10-08 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE

SPIRITOFTHEGAMES (IRE) 6 10-08 N W Lake Dan Skelton

LOUGH DERG SPIRIT (IRE) 6 10-07 Grech & Parkin Nicky Henderson

DIESE DES BIEFFES (FR) 5 10-06 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Nicky Henderson

POPPY KAY 8 10-06 Aiden Murphy & Alan Peterson Philip Hobbs

LALOR (GER) 6 10-06 D G Staddon Richard Woollacott

CHARMING ZEN (FR) 6 10-05 Sullivan Bloodstock Limited Nicky Henderson

KNOCKNANUSS (IRE) 8 10-04 Hail Sargent Evans Gary Moore

WATERLORD 7 10-04 Matthew Taylor Donald McCain

LOSTINTRANSLATION (IRE) 6 10-03 Taylor & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard

WILLIAM H BONNEY 7 10-03 Mr & Mrs R Scott Alan King

IRISH ROE (IRE) 7 10-03 Peter Atkinson Peter Atkinson

MASTER OF IRONY (IRE) 6 10-02 Highfield Racing 6 John Quinn

SILVER STREAK (IRE) 5 10-02 L Fell Evan Williams

NIETZSCHE 5 10-01 D Gilbert, M Lawrence, A Bruce, G Wills Brian Ellison

NIGHT OF SIN (FR) 5 10-01 Simon Brown & Ron Watts Nick Williams

COEUR BLIMEY (IRE) 7 10-01 Keith Harris & Tom Gardner Susan Gardner

ZALVADOS (FR) 5 9-12 D C Mercer Oliver Greenall

VEINARD (FR) 9 9-11 T D Howley Jnr/J N O'Brien Gordon Elliott IRE

WISHFULL DREAMING 7 9-08 Mrs Diana L Whateley Olly Murphy

BIDOUREY (FR) 7 9-08 Brocade Racing David Pipe

MAGIC DANCER 6 9-07 Mark E Smith & The Magic Partnership Kerry Lee

MAN OF PLENTY 9 9-06 G Thompson Sophie Leech

BIRCH HILL (IRE) 8 9-03 G Thompson Sophie Leech

MAQUISARD (FR) 6 9-03 M K George Gary Moore

CANYON CITY 5 nq A Whyte, J Bone, D Nott & B Smith Neil King

59 entries

11 Irish-trained