THOUSANDS of bets will be voided after it emerged a Cheltenham Festival race famed for one of the most dramatic finishes ever is set to be axed.
The 2m4f Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase will be changed to a handicap as part of a major revamp of racing’s biggest meeting, according to the Racing Post.
ITVThe Turners Novices’ Chase – the race that saw Galopin Des Champs’ infamous unseating of jockey Paul Townend – has been axed from the Cheltenham Festival programme[/caption]
And the Cross Country Chase, won by the likes of Tiger Roll, Delta Work and Cause Of Causes, will also be made a handicap.
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The Turners made up one of three Grade 1 races over fences for novices, alongside the 2m Arkle and 3m Brown Advisory, and had been run since 2011.
It was responsible for an unforgettable Cheltenham moment when Galopin Des Champs slipped and unseated jockey Paul Townend at the last when miles clear in 2022.
That allowed Rachael Blackmore to saunter home on Bob Olinger for the most unlikely of victories, having been backed at 999-1 in-running.
But in a bid to battle a dip in quality and the number of horses taking part, Cheltenham bosses are set to make the race an open handicap.
It means more top quality horses will be forced to pursue the 2m or 3m routes – and poses a fascinating question for Willie Mullins’ superstar Ballyburn.
Punters had piled Ballyburn – last year’s awesome Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle winner – into multiples believing he was destined for the Turners’.
But with the race conditions fundamentally changed, bookies should now void those bets.
Ballyburn – who reduced his owner David Manasseh, Gareth Bale’s agent, to tears with victory – was backed off the boards for the Brown Advisory and Arkle on the back of yesterday’s report, despite Cheltenham still being six months away.
Ballyburn is 4-1 favourite for the Arkle and a best-price 6-1 favourite for the Brown Advisory.
The two changes are set to form part of a wider raft of alterations to racing’s biggest meeting, with more set to come.
A spokesperson for Cheltenham said: “It has been in the public domain for some time that we are looking at a number of aspects of the Cheltenham Festival following this year’s fixture.
“Alterations to the race programme form one element of changes to the event from 2025 and we have been seeking the views of a variety of stakeholders, from racegoers to participants to sponsors.
Punters want competition – this should give it
By Sam Morgan
With just one winning favourite this decade you could argue the Turners was pretty competitive anyway.
Far from being a gimme for punters, only Grey Dawning at 5-2 has obliged favourite backers since Defi Du Seuil won at 3-1 in 2019.
Mighty Potter was 4-6 when beaten by 15-2 Stage Star in 2023 while Envoi Allen fell at 4-9 in 2021.
The Turners has always been competitive… but this is about optics and single-digit fields won’t cut it anymore.
Stage Star beat six others, Bob Olinger was one of just four runners and the last field of more than nine runners was in 2020.
A big open handicap is a far more attractive betting proposition, it opens itself up to more drama, more turnover and, let’s be honest more interest.
The same can be said of the Cross Country, which has been farmed by Gordon Elliott in recent years.
That race will now resemble the much tricker trial run at the November meeting and, really, is a much fairer race now.
The Arkle and Brown Advisory should now, in theory, be ferociously competitive – no one wants to see odds-on shots plod over the line.
But seeing as Willie Mullins has two of the three favourites for the former and the three market leaders for the latter, don’t be surprised to see the same names coming out on top.
“Our priority has been to listen to the wide range of views before making decisions we believe are in the best overall interests of the festival and jump racing as a whole.
“We look forward to making an announcement about changes to the 2025 Cheltenham Festival in due course.”
Punters praised the changes overall, however the managing director of Turners, Paul Day, said: “I understand why the changes are being made but ultimately I think the Cheltenham Festival should be about the best competing against the best rather than handicaps.
“It’s disappointing, but it is what it is.”
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