Stuart Williams assesses the runners in a a small field for the Turners' Novices Chase 2022 but says two heavyweights can still serve up a box office event.
Turners Novices' Chase
This contest has been won by many top horses since its inception in 2011 with subsequent Gold Cup runner-up Sir Des Champs, 2016 Ryanair Chase winner Vautour, dual Cheltenham Festival scorer Yorkhill and multiple Grade 1 winner Defi Du Seuil all taking home the prize.
The latter swooped up the hill to defy subsequent Grade 1 Betfair Chase winner Lostintranslation in 2019 and the head-bobbing finish between Samcro and Melon 12 months later also rates a fantastic finish.
However, both could be well and truly topped this year now that Willie Mullins has given the green light for Galopin Des Champs to face-off with last year’s impressive Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle hero Bob Olinger.
Henry de Bromhead’s charge has continued to impress this season and he will put his unbeaten status on the line on this contest. While Galopin De Champs, already a Grade 1 winner over fences, would undoubtedly provide him with his biggest test to date.
This is one of the rare occasions where a lack of runners will not detract from the race, as the two heavyweights at the head of the betting could easily serve up a box office event on their own.
Bob Olinger
Only the very talented, but sadly fragile, Ferny Hollow has found a way to beat Bob Olinger to date and that came over a trip of two miles, which undoubtedly favoured Willie Mullins charge.
Last year’s Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle hero is unquestionably one of the most exciting prospects in National Hunt Racing at present and a second Cheltenham Festival success would cement that.
The Robcour-owned seven-year-old readily kicked aside Blue Lord and Gabynako in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice hurdle en route to Cheltenham last year. The manner in which he swooped past Bravemansgame and stormed clear in the Ballymore had many debating whether he would head over fences or be campaigned for the Champion Hurdle, such was the calibre of his performance.
The well-built son of Sholokhov has always looked a chaser and it was no surprise when connections decided it was time to tackle fences, and two impressive victories thus far have only confirmed that it was the right decision.
While some may crab his jumping on debut, I thought it was fine for a novice having their first start and he readily defeated fair opposition in the form of Bacardys and subsequent Grade 1 winner Master McShee.
Bob Olinger made it two wins from as many starts when getting the better of Willie Mullins’ smart performer Capodanno in the Grade 3 Kildare Novice Chase at Punchestown and I think he will find further improvement returning to a left-handed track.
Galopin Des Champs
Galopin Des Champs had failed to live up to expectations prior to his facile success in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle last March and he simply hasn’t looked back since, landing the Grade 1 Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown last spring and a brace of novices chases this winter.
The exciting son of Timos fulfilled and arguably surpassed every expectation on his much anticipated chasing debut at Leopardstown over Christmas and he backed that up with an easy success in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival.
It’s impossible not to be impressed by Galopin Des Champs’ relentless style of galloping and his quick and slick jumping, which mark him out as a potential superstar in the making.
Two-and-a-half-miles on the more stamina demanding new course would seem ideal at this stage of his career, and I would personally fear that he could emulate stablemate Allaho, who contested this race in 2020, in doing too much too soon and leaving himself vulnerable to stout staying rivals over 3 miles.
Turners Novices' Chase 2022 Prediction
This looks like being a match race between Bob Olinger and GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, with marginal preference for the latter.
Both possess superstar potential at this stage; however, last year’s Martin Pipe winner could prove very hard to peg back if jumping for fun out in-front and he could even rekindle memories of Willie Mullins former superstar chaser Vautour, who dazzled when making virtually all in this contest in 2015, such is the level of his ability.
