The Turners Novices’ Hurdle (registered at Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle) is the opening race of day two of the Cheltenham Festival. The Grade 1 event is off at 1.20pm on Wednesday 17 March and is raced over a trip of 2m 5f and will attract a stellar line-up for the 2027 renewal.
Our team of tipsters, which includes Andrew Mount and Matty Sutcliffe, will provide their Turners Novices’ Hurdle tips here nearer the off…
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Matty Sutcliffe’s Turners Novices’ Hurdle Tips
13:20 Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB Race)
Result
14th 100/1
Matty Sutcliffe believes the outsider of the field could offer value in a huge field for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. Free Spirit is likely to improve in this type of race, with a big field for cover having raced keenly on debut.
Joe Napier’s Turners Novices’ Hurdle Tips
13:20 Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB Race)
Result
10th 11/1
Having been beaten on the line in a Dublin Racing Festival Grade 1 last time out, Ballyfad can gain compensation up in trip according to Joe Napier. His maiden win was very eyecatching.
Turners Novices’ Hurdle Bookmaker Odds – Race 1, Wednesday 11th March 1:20
Runners
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All About The Turners Novices’ Hurdle Trophy in 2026
This year’s Turners Novices’ Hurdle will have a wide open feel about it until closer to the off, with several horses still only confirmed to run here, or in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle over the shorter distance, towards the final stages of the season.
No Drama This End has been a real class act for Paul Nicholls this season and the Ditcheat inmate is well fancied in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle betting. Leading Irish contenders bidding for victory are the likes of Skylight Hustle and Ballyfad, who add more depth to the race.
Qualifications/Trends
Check out some of the key trends ahead of the 2026 Turners Novices’ Hurdle:
- Six-year-olds have won 8 of the last 10 renewals
- 5 of the last 10 renewals have been won by the favourite
- 8 of the last 10 renewals have been trained in Ireland
- All the last 10 winners have been rated 147 or higher
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Turners Novices’ Hurdle History
Introduced in 1971, the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle was the original longer-distance novice hurdle, before the Albert Bartlett came along decades later.
Although Davy Lad, the 1977 Gold Cup winner, would win this race in 1975, perhaps the first marquee winner was the extraordinary Willie Wumpkins in 1973. He only won seven races in his life, but four of those came at the Cheltenham Festival. This was his first, before he added three Coral Cups to his tally.
The race also provided a seminal moment in the history of jumps racing, for it gave J P McManus his first ever win at the Cheltenham Festival courtesy of Mister Donovan in 1982. But for his win in the race, it was rumoured McManus may never have afforded to build the dynasty he has.
Davy Lad is the only Gold Cup winner to have won both races, but we have seen three horses go from this to Champion Hurdle glory in Istabraq, Hardy Eustace and Faugheen, all three of whom used their staying power up the hill to excellent effect the year(s) after.
Winners since 2000
| Year | Horse | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Monsignor | J:Norman Williamson T:Mark Pitman | 5/4F |
| 2001 | VOID | J:N/A T:N/A | VOID |
| 2002 | Galileo | J:Jason Maguire T:Tom George | 12/1 |
| 2003 | Hardy Eustace | J:Kieran Kelly T:Dessie Hughes | 6/1 |
| 2004 | Fundamentalist | J:Carl Llewellyn T:Nigel Twiston-Davies | 12/1 |
| 2005 | No Refuge | J:Graham Lee T:Howard Johnson | 17/2 |
| 2006 | Nicanor | J:Paul Carberry T:Noel Meade | 17/2 |
| 2007 | Massini’s Maguire | J:Richard Johnson T:Philip Hobbs | 20/1 |
| 2008 | Fiveforthree | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 7/1 |
| 2009 | Mikael d’Haguenet | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 5/2F |
| 2010 | Peddlers Cross | J:Jason Maguire T:Donald McCain Jr | 7/1 |
| 2011 | First Lieutenant | J:Davy Russell T:Mouse Morris | 7/1 |
| 2012 | Simonsig | J:Barry Geraghty T:Nicky Henderson | 2/1F |
| 2013 | The New One | J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Nigel Twiston-Davies | 7/2 |
| 2014 | Faugheen | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 6/4F |
| 2015 | Windsor Park | J:Davy Russell T:Dermot Weld | 9/2 |
| 2016 | Yorkhill | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 3/1 |
| 2017 | Willoughby Court | J:David Bass T:Ben Pauling | 14/1 |
| 2018 | Samcro | J:Jack Kennedy T:Gordon Elliott | 8/11F |
| 2019 | City Island | J:Mark Walsh T:Martin Brassil | 8/1 |
| 2020 | Envoi Allen | J:Davy Russell T:Gordon Elliott | 4/7F |
| 2021 | Bob Olinger | J:Rachael Blackmore T:Henry De Bromhead | 6/4F |
| 2022 | Sir Gerhard | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 8/11F |
| 2023 | Impaire Et Passe | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 5/2 |
| 2024 | Ballyburn | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 1/2F |
| 2025 | The New Lion | J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton | 3/1 |
| 2026 | King Rasko Grey | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 11/1 |
Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Racing Schedule
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