Nick Gifford is hoping the weather stays dry, so he can run Didtheyleaveuoutto in the £155,000 Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on February 9, for which 41 horses have stood their ground.

The Gifford family connection with Britain’s richest handicap hurdle stretches back to 1963 when his late father Josh rode the Ryan Price-trained Rosyth to land the inaugural running of the race.

It was the first of four wins in the saddle for Gifford snr, the most successful jockey in the race’s history, who remains the only person to win it as a trainer as well following the success of Deep Sensation in 1990.

“Obviously the family connection needs no introduction with the success of Dad and Ryan and Dad trained a winner of the race too,” said Gifford. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a runner in the Betfair Hurdle so it would be lovely to go there with a squeak if the ground allows us to do that.”

The J P McManus-owned Didtheyleaveuoutto is 10-1 third favourite behind Al Dancer (5-1) and Getaway Trump (6-1) with the sponsors after the latest acceptance stage for the Betfair Hurdle from which Mohaayed, Global Citizen, Western Ryder, Ballymoy and Grand Sancy were notable withdrawals.

As a result, We Have A Dream (11st 12lb) is at the top of the handicap with the weights having risen 1lb.

The novice Didtheyleaveuoutto has won two out of three starts over hurdles and finished fifth of six behind Mister Fisher at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Gifford, who trains in Findon, West Sussex, fears soft ground could prevent the horse running but said: “It will be down to J P McManus, Frank Berry and the team, but he has the entry and if the ground is suitable he will go. If the weather stays like this we will probably run him.

“The horse is in great form and I couldn’t be happier with him here. It appears he’s got a nice weight. I would love to run him, and it would tell us more come the spring which direction we should be heading in. It’s a lovely race for him. There will be plenty of pace, going left-handed will suit him slightly better and it would be a fantastic race to be involved with. I wasn’t born when Dad rode his winners, but I do remember Deep Sensation winning it.

“Didtheyleaveuoutto is still unexposed. He was a little bit disappointing at Kempton, make no mistake, but if he was a bit flat and he didn’t quite like the ground, trying to give 5lb to Mister Fisher, who has come out and won again, could have proved to have been an impossible task. I am hoping he was a bit flat and we’re better than that.”

Most betting interest continues to focus on the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Al Dancer and Getaway Trump, from the Paul Nicholls stable, who have been jostling for favouritism since the entries were released.

Betfair spokesman Barry Orr said: “Al Dancer and Getaway Trump have dominated the betting in recent days and punters preference is just for the former who’s now clear favourite at 5-1.

“We have also seen some each-way cash for Apple’s Shakira at 20-1 and she would be an interesting proposition if taking up this engagement.”

The Betfair Hurdle is part of Betfair Super Saturday which, aside from the Betfair Hurdle, also features the £50,000 G2 Betfair Denman Chase, a leading trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and the £50,000 G2 Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase over an extended two miles.

Betfair Hurdle – Sponsors Betting:

5/1 Al Dancer

6/1 Getaway Trump

10/1 Didtheyleaveuoutto

12/1 Monsieur Lecoq

14/1 Mont Des Avaloirs

16/1 Nube Negra, Vision des Flos

20/1 Apple’s Shakira, Ch’tibello, Lisp, Thomas Darby

25/1 Ballyandy, Blu Cavalier, Countister, Equus Amadeus, Jolly’s Cracked It, Leoncavallo, Nordic Combined, Saglawy, Style de Garde, Thistle Do Nicely, We Have A Dream, Zanza

33/1 And The New, Ar Mest, Chti Balko, Jetez, Kasakh Noir, Magic Dancer, Sayar, Sussex Ranger, William H Bonney

40/1 Distingo, High Expectations, West To The Bridge

50/1 Flash The Steel, Garo de Juilley, Keyboard Gangster, Man of Plenty, Nelson’s Touch, Splash of Ginge

Animal	Age	Weight	Owner	Trainer
We Have A Dream (FR)	5	11 12	Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede	Nicky Henderson
Vision des Flos (FR)	6	11 10	Ann & Alan Potts Limited	Colin Tizzard
Saglawy (FR)	5	11 9	Sullivan Bloodstock Limited	W. P. Mullins
Chti Balko (FR)	7	11 6	Mr D. G. Carrington	Donald McCain
Ch’tibello (FR)	8	11 6	The Can’t Say No Partnership	Dan Skelton
Lisp (IRE)	5	11 5	Mr & Mrs R. Kelvin-Hughes	Alan King
Jetez (IRE)	6	11 5	Mr G. M. McGrath	Mrs J. Harrington
Jolly’s Cracked It (FR)	10	11 5	GDM Partnership	Harry Fry
Leoncavallo (IRE)	7	11 4	ValueRacingClub.co.uk	Dr Richard Newland
Ballyandy (GB)	8	11 2	Options O Syndicate	Nigel Twiston-Davies
Getaway Trump (IRE)	6	11 2	Owners Group 023	Paul Nicholls
Mont des Avaloirs (FR)	6	11 2	Mrs Johnny de la Hey	Paul Nicholls
Al Dancer (FR)	6	11 1	Walters Plant Hire Ltd	Nigel Twiston-Davies
Style de Garde (FR)	5	11 0	Highclere Thoroughbred Racing – Style	Nicky Henderson
Apple’s Shakira (FR)	5	11 0	Mr John P. McManus	Nicky Henderson
Blu Cavalier (GB)	9	11 0	www.Select-Racing-Club.co.uk	Ali Stronge
Garo de Juilley (FR)	7	11 0	Mr G. Thompson	Sophie Leech
Thomas Darby (IRE)	6	11 0	Mrs Diana L. Whateley	Olly Murphy
Didtheyleaveuoutto (IRE)	6	10 13	Mr John P. McManus	Nick Gifford
Equus Amadeus (IRE)	6	10 11	Galloping On The South Downs Partnership	Tom Lacey
Sussex Ranger (USA)	5	10 10	The Tongdean Partnership	Gary Moore
Distingo (IRE)	6	10 9	Alan Jamieson Site Services Ltd	Gary Moore
Zanza (IRE)	5	10 9	Louisville Syndicate Elite	Philip Hobbs
Sayar (IRE)	6	10 8	Mrs Audrey Turley	W. P. Mullins
Nube Negra (SPA)	5	10 8	Mr T. Spraggett	Dan Skelton
Thistle Do Nicely (IRE)	5	10 8	Appletree Stud, M Gumienny & A Signy	Jamie Snowden
Keyboard Gangster (IRE)	8	10 8	The Buyers Club	Donald Whillans
Nordic Combined (IRE)	5	10 7	Chris & David Stam	David Pipe
Kasakh Noir (FR)	7	10 7	Mr T. P. Radford	Dan Skelton
Countister (FR)	7	10 7	Mr John P. McManus	Nicky Henderson
High Expectations (FR)	8	10 7	Mr M. Wasylocha	Gordon Elliott
William H Bonney (GB)	8	10 7	Mr & Mrs R. Scott	Alan King
And The New (IRE)	8	10 7	Mr Peter Randall	Johnny Farrelly
Man of Plenty (GB)	10	10 6	Mr G. Thompson	Sophie Leech
Monsieur Lecoq (FR)	5	10 6	Mrs Jane Williams	Mrs Jane Williams
Splash of Ginge (GB)	11	10 6	Mr J. D. Neild	Nigel Twiston-Davies
West To The Bridge (IRE)	6	10 0	Mr J. Tierney	Dan Skelton
Magic Dancer (GB)	7	9 13	Mark E Smith & The Magic Partnership	Kerry Lee
Nelson’s Touch (GB)	6	9 13	Mrs P de W Johnson & Mr John M Cole	Seamus Mullins
Flash The Steel (IRE)	7	9 13	Mr John J Reilly	Dan Skelton
Ar Mest (FR)	6	9 9	Galloping On The South Downs Partnership	Gary Moore