Junior

Junior is a national hunt racehorse who is trained by David Pipe and owned by Middleham Park Racing Limited.

The biggest win of his career so far came at the Cheltenham Festival in 2011 when he won the Kim Muir Challenge Cup over 3m1f by 24 lengths. He eventually went off as the 100/30 favourite for that race after a nationwide gamble. 

Junior started his career on the flat where he was in Brian Meehan's yard. He made his debut at Bath on August 20th, 2006 in a maiden over 1m3f. The best he could do in his opener was finish fifth of the eight runners.

His first win came at Wolverhampton on their all-weather surface in October of that year. His starting price was 6/1 and he finished just under a length ahead of Osolomio, who chased him home in second.

Two successes followed as a four-year old. He won a Pertemps Handicap over 2m at Newbury as he showed a liking to the longer distance. That was then followed up later in the campaign with another win over the same trip at Kempton in a handicap.

Junior made his debut over hurdles at Cheltenham in January 2008. Although it was a disappointing run, as he finished near the rear of the field, his first success over obstacles arrived later that year in December at Sandown in a Grade Two contest.

He was then stepped up in class in the Grade One Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury when he ran a respectable second behind Diamond Harry.

His opening run over fences came at Exeter in a beginners' chase when Tony McCoy partnered him. Connections were encouraged by that fourth place run and kept him over fences.
Despite moderate success over hurdles, he showed some improvement as a chaser and put in a spectacular performance at the 2011 Festival in winning the Kim Muir Cup.

The following season he was aimed at the Grand National in 2012 but unfortunately fell at the second obstacle.

A win at Newcastle in a Listed contest over fences arrived in December 2012 but he was disappointing again over the National Course at Aintree recently in the Becher Chase, and was pulled up by jockey Liam Heard before the 13th fence.

Junior still makes the occasional appearance on the flat. Last June he featured at Royal Ascot in the Queen Alexandra Stakes over 2m5f. Despite being prominent in the betting, he could only finish 15th.

For all the latest Junior Betting Tips place check out betting.betfair