11 have been declared for the Turners Novices' Chase on Thursday.
13:30 Cheltenham
Thursday’s opener at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival is this Grade 1 race over a distance just short of two and a half miles – the Turners Novices’ Chase.
Grey Dawning and Ginny’s Destiny, who will lock horns for a third time, head the betting alongside last year's Supreme second Facile Vega. Let's look at five runners in more detail.
Turners Novices’ Chase Runners
Grey Dawning - 5/2
Dan Skelton’s charge is a marginal favourite for this year’s renewal at the time of writing and has a good strike rate under rules by winning seven of his 11 starts. He won three of his five starts over hurdles, including a Grade 2 race, but has looked even better over fences.
He ran well behind Stay Away Fay on his chase debut at Exeter before destroying Gaillard Du Mesnil at Haydock in the Graduation Chase. He was then unlucky not to beat Ginny’s Destiny at Cheltenham when a blunder at the second last fence cost him the race.
Despite the mistake, he rallied well to finish a close-up second and subsequently took the Grade 2 Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick in great style. I don’t see the drop-in trip being an issue next week, and with more to come, he is the one to beat.
Ginny’s Destiny - 4/1
One of Paul Nicholls’ best chances of the week. The eight-year-old proved no match for Grey Dawning in the Leamington Novices' Hurdle last year. However, he reversed that form here in December, despite being helped by the runner-up, who made a mistake late on.
He then followed up back at the same course when last seen in handicap company when shouldering top-weight. He is improving at a rate of knots and has gained all three of his wins at this course, so he’s entitled to major respect and should go very well with improvement to come.
Facile Vega - 11/4
One of the best bumper horses of the 2021/2022 season with four wins from four starts, including championship wins at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals. He has always been held in high esteem by Willie Mullins.
He translated that form to hurdles last season, with two Grade 1 wins as well as finishing a clear second in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at this meeting last year. He was impressive on his chase/seasonal debut, but the wheels have seemingly fallen off of late with a pair of lacklustre finishing efforts.
Iroko - 11/2
A very talented six-year-old who was at one point going to miss the rest of the season but has recovered from his minor issue is set to line up in this race with a serious chance.
He did brilliantly over hurdles last season, winning three on the bounce, featuring a big win at the Cheltenham Festival in the Martin Pipe before finishing third in a Grade 1 race at Aintree.
He has only had one start over fences, which came at Warwick, but he was impressive. He jumped, travelled extremely well, and won by nearly four lengths without coming off the bridle.
This will be a much tougher assignment, but he is the least exposed in the field in this sphere, has Cheltenham Festival-winning form, and has a solid chance of at least hitting the frame.
Zanahiyr - 18/1
An outsider who could run well at a price. This seven-year-old opened his account at the second time of asking over fences at Thurles, and although he’s not bred to be a chaser, he could make his mark at this sort of level.
He has made the frame in the last two renewals of the Champion Hurdle and only found Bob Olinger too strong on his last try at this distance. He is a classy horse on his day and could outrun his odds.
Turners Novices’ Chase Tips & Prediction
Grey Dawning and Ginny’s Destiny deserve the utmost respect, but both of them might have to settle for minor honours behind the exciting IROKO (tipped at 5/1) who could be destined for a second Cheltenham Festival success.
This six-year-old produced a power-packed late surge to take the Martin Pipe at this meeting last year on the new course. He then made an impressive transition to this sphere when he was an easy winner on his chase debut at Warwick, where he jumped like a buck and won without breaking sweat.
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s charge has the makings to become a top-class horse over fences, and his exemplary jumping will be a major asset. His co-trainers wouldn’t be risking him without good reason, and I strongly fancy him to run a big race.
