A bumper entry of 73 potential runners remain after the latest forfeit stage for the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle on Wednesday, 12th March 2025. The day two contest, which serves as the opener on the Wednesday, is being run under another new guise this year, but is registered as the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle as well as having been sponsored by both Ballymore and Gallagher in recent seasons.
Among the vast entry list is chief British hope The New Lion for Dan Skelton. Despite there not having been a British-trained winner since Willoughby Court in 2017, the six-year-old has received substantial early support for the race having won readily on his first three career starts over hurdles, including when bolting up in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury.
That fellow Grade 1 contest has a poor record in providing Cheltenham Festival winners, though it is another British runner who is the nearest pursuer in the market. Potters Charm has won on his first four hurdles starts, also claiming a Grade 1 last time out when successful at Aintree, while he has also won twice at Cheltenham already too.
Willie Mullins has claimed the last three renewals of the race and boasts 24 of the 73 potentials. The likes of Kopek Des Bordes and Final Demand have all been seen producing smart performances to this point, with the latter becoming favourite for this race after a hugely impressive performance at the Dublin Racing Festival, while the former is likely to run in the Supreme.
Before Mullins’ supremacy, both Henry De Bromhead and Gordon Elliott have claimed winners of this in the past five renewals. The former could rely on Albert Bartlett fancy The Big Westerner, if his mare drops back in trip, while Koktail Divin would be another significant name in the race. For Elliott, Supreme hopeful Romeo Coolio has been given a second option alongside The Yellow Clay, an impressive Grade 1 winner at Naas last time out.
The big name British trainers are relatively quiet among the entries otherwise – Paul Nicholls’ expensive purchase Regent’s Stroll is amongst the 73, as is Quebecois, while Nicky Henderson has a pair of mares in Holloway Queen and That’s Nice.
French interest could also come in the shape of Jet Blue, who won a Grade 2 at Prestbury Park earlier in the season and would be among the stronger contenders should he take up his entry.
Turners Novices’ Hurdle 2025 Entries
Number | Horse | Trainer |
1 | Alexei | Joe Tizzard |
2 | Argento Boy | Willie Mullins |
3 | Ballygunner Castle | Willie Mullins |
4 | Belloccio | Willie Mullins |
5 | Bill Joyce | Jonjo & A J O’Neill |
6 | Bleu De Vassy | Gordon Elliott |
7 | C’Est Ta Chance | Willie Mullins |
8 | Crest Of Fortune | Anthony Honeyball |
9 | De Temps En Temps | Gavin Cromwell |
10 | Eastern Legend | Jim Bolger |
11 | Final Demand | Willie Mullins |
12 | Fingle Bridge | Olly Murphy |
13 | First Confession | Joe Tizzard |
14 | Fishery Lane | Willie Mullins |
15 | Forty Coats | Henry De Bromhead |
16 | Funiculi Funicula | Willie Mullins |
17 | Good And Clever | Warren Greatrex |
18 | Good N’ Kind | Henry De Bromhead |
19 | I’m A Lumberjack | Alan King |
20 | Icare d’Aubrelle | Thomas Cooper |
21 | Inn At The Park | Willie Mullins |
22 | Jacob’s Ladder | Gordon Elliott |
23 | Jacovec Cavern | Emmet Mullins |
24 | James’s Gate | Martin Brassil |
25 | Jet Blue | David Cottin |
26 | Jig’s Forge | Ben Pauling |
27 | Joystick | Willie Mullins |
28 | Julius Des Pictons | Jamie Snowden |
29 | Junker d’Allier | Olly Murphy |
30 | Kaid d’Authie | Willie Mullins |
31 | Kalix Delabarriere | Willie Mullins |
32 | Kappa Jy Pyke | Willie Mullins |
33 | Karbau | Willie Mullins |
34 | Kawaboomga | Willie Mullins |
35 | Kdeux Saint Fray | Anthony Honeyball |
36 | Kel Histoire | Willie Mullins |
37 | Kingston Pride | Nicky Henderson |
38 | Kiss Will | Willie Mullins |
39 | Koktail Divin | Henry De Bromhead |
40 | Kopek Des Bordes | Willie Mullins |
41 | Minella Sixo | Gordon Elliott |
42 | Nativehill | Nicky Henderson |
43 | Newton Tornado | Rebecca Curtis |
44 | No Questions Asked | Ben Pauling |
45 | Old Cowboy | Gary & Josh Moore |
46 | Pierrot Jaguen | Olly Murphy |
47 | Port Joulain | Willie Mullins |
48 | Potters Charm | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
49 | Quebecois | Paul Nicholls |
50 | Regent’s Stroll | Paul Nicholls |
51 | Relieved Of Duties | Gordon Elliott |
52 | Romeo Coolio | Gordon Elliott |
53 | Sea Of Sands | Willie Mullins |
54 | Sixmilebridge | Fergal O’Brien |
55 | Soir De Garde | Willie Mullins |
56 | Sommesky | Henry De Bromhead |
57 | Sounds Victorius | Willie Mullins |
58 | South Omo Zone | Olly Murphy |
59 | Sporting Glory | Gordon Elliott |
60 | Supersundae | Willie Mullins |
61 | The Enabler | Gordon Elliott |
62 | The New Lion | Dan Skelton |
63 | The Yellow Clay | Gordon Elliott |
64 | Tutti Quanti | Paul Nicholls |
65 | Wade Out | Olly Murphy |
66 | Western Knight | Joe Tizzard |
67 | Whinney Hill | Gordon Elliott |
68 | Wingmen | Gordon Elliott |
69 | You Oughta Know | Willie Mullins |
70 | Zillow | Willie Mullins |
71 | Holloway Queen | Nicky Henderson |
72 | That’s Nice | Nicky Henderson |
73 | The Big Westerner | Henry De Bromhead |