2024 Turners' Novices' Chase Tips - Risky bet in a wide-open Grade One

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 14 Mar 2024

Jon Vine 14 Mar 2024

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Free guide to the 2024 Turners' Novices' Chase
This Grade One takes place on day three of the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday 14th March
Iroko and Facile Vega feature in our verdict

Expired

Patrick Mullins riding Facile Vega win The Weatherbys Champion Bumper in 2022. (Getty)

Day three at the Cheltenham Festival opens with the Turners' Novices' Chase. We've seen some top-quality winners of this two-and-a-half miles Grade One down the years, but this year's renewal is looking incredibly open.

Here's our free guide to the 2024 Turners' Novices' Chase. You'll find our best betting tips in the verdict section below.

2024 Turners' Novices' Chase Tips

The favourite for the Turners is Ginny's Destiny, who's gone down a similar path to last year's winner, Stage Star. Paul Nicholls' recruit has won three handicaps in a row from the front and registered an excellent RPR of 162 on Trials Day. Stage Star, however, was a Grade One-winning novice hurdler, so had that back-class to bolster his progression over fences. The best Ginny's Destiny has managed at Graded level is a runner-up finish to Grey Dawning in the 2023 Leamington Novices' Hurdle at Warwick.

Grey Dawning could renew rivalries with Ginny's Destiny in this Grade One. Dan Skelton's grey beat his rival by five lengths in the Leamington at Warwick, and only a shocking blunder at the second-last stopped him from beating Ginny's Destiny in a handicap chase here at Cheltenham in December.

With the ground at Cheltenham likely to be soft throughout the entire meeting, Skelton will run Grey Dawning over this shorter trip. That might force Harry Skelton into giving this proven stayer an aggressive ride from the front - tactics that Harry has made a hash of on several high-profile occasions and front-running will put Grey Dawning's sometimes patchy jumping under even more scrutiny.

If Facile Vega is confirmed for the Turners, he will go off as the favourite. Willie Mullins said in his most recent stable tour that last year's Supreme winner hasn't been right all season and he might not be fit enough to even run during the Cheltenham Festival. A declaration would signal that Facile Vega has been working well since that tour and he's sure to improve for this extra distance.

Stablemate, Gaelic Warrior was the short-priced favourite for the Turners following his Grade One win at Limerick over Christmas. Willie Mullins' six-year-old played up in the parade ring and couldn't settle when he faced Fact To File in a match race at the Dublin Racing Festival look to turn this race into a strong test of stamina. I just simply couldn't back this horse around any left-handed track.

Iroko can be backed at 6/1, despite missing the majority of the season through injury. Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero's star met with a setback following a sparkling chasing debut at Warwick. Having initially been ruled out of Cheltenham, Iroko has seemingly made a miraculous recovery and last year's Martin Pipe winner has Festival form to bolster his claims.

Despite winning a Grade Two on his most recent start, American Mike remains a 20/1 outsider for the Turners'. Gordon Elliott has mentioned the Irish Grand National as a potential target for his novice and American Mike's odds suggest he could be supplemented for one of the longer novice chases at Cheltenham, if he is to make an appearance at the Festival.

Djelo has the option of running here, but Venetia Williams' six-year-old would have a much better chance in a similarly open Arkle. Zanahiyr, Sharjah and Colonel Harry are possible runners too, but on recent performances, they would be hard-pushed to fill a place.

Verdict

2024 Turners' Novices Chase

Regular readers of mine will know how highly I rated Iroko. I tipped and backed Iroko when he won the Martin Pipe last year and he couldn't have made a better impression on his chasing debut. My heart is telling me that Iroko has the class to win what's clearly a wide-open renewal of the Turners. My head, on the other hand, is weary of the 128 lay-off and is telling me I should wait for Aintree.

With non-runner no bet stipulations still in place, the best bet here has to be Facile Vega. Willie Mullins' star bounced back from a shocking run at last year's Dublin Racing Festival with a strong performance behind Marine Nationale in the Supreme. Last month, Facile Vega was again beaten at that meeting by Il Etait Temps, but the margin of defeat was only four lengths, compared to the 20-length demolition he suffered the previous year.

Quevega's son has been crying out for a step up in trip. If he is declared, I would be surprised if Paul Townend wasn't riding, leaving Patrick Mullins to partner Gaelic Warrior again. With Gaelic Warrior, Grey Dawning and Ginny's Destiny likely to go forward from flag-fall, the race should set up perfectly for Townend's preferred waiting tactics.

If Facile Vega runs, he's got a massive chance. If he doesn't, you'll get your money back.

Facile Vega

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