Big novice clash in Turners looks a reality

The clash of top class novices is one of the real highlights of the Cheltenham Festival and the prospect of Bob Olinger coming up against Galopin Des Champs in the Turners Novices’ Chase on St Patrick’s Day is certainly one to whet the appetite.

Willie Mullins is never one to nail his colours to the mast when it comes to planning targets for his powerful Closutton team but recent comments have given a clear indication of his plans for Galopin Des Champs.

The son of Timos won the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last March and showed he’s well suited by a test of stamina when readily landing the Grade 1 Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle over three miles at Punchestown the following month.

His spring-heeled jumping over fences has really caught the imagination this season with two spectacular wins over 2m5f at Leopardstown including the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival earlier this month.

The prospect of meeting Bob Olinger in the 2m3f 168 yards of the ‘Turners’ is a mouth-watering one for all jump racing fans.

Henry de Bromhead’s charge recorded impressive Grade 1 wins last season in the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle and the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and the point-to-point winner has done little wrong in two chase starts over 2m4f this term.

He drew clear in the straight for a convincing victory last time in the Grade 3 Kildare Novice Chase at Punchestown and the Turners has always been his likely Festival target.

Mullins signalled his intentions for Galopin Des Champs at a recent stable open day saying, “The Turners is where I am favouring to go.

“He jumps very slick and if he goes for the three-mile race (Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase) then Paul will have to temper his jumping and that might not suit.

“My first inclination is to go for the shorter race.”

The prospect of Bob Olinger meeting Galopin Des Champs in the Turners is certainly not something that de Bromhead will shirk as he responded, “This is what it’s about — the best taking on the best. If they want to have a go at Bob fair play to them!

“He’s in great nick and jumped brilliantly the other day.”

Bookmakers find it hard to separate the pair in Non-Runner No Bet markets with both horses a best-priced 5/4.