13:20DAY 2 · WEDNESDAY 17 MARCH 2027
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL

TURNERS NOVICES’ HURDLE

Understand the Turners Novices’ Hurdle: middle-distance novice form, pace, stamina and the race formerly known as the Ballymore.

Grade 1About 2m5fOld CourseNovice hurdle
Permanent race guide

The Turners sits between the sharpness of the Supreme and the longer examination of the Albert Bartlett. That makes it an appealing destination for a novice with several possible trips, but versatility is not the same as having the right blend for this race. You want a horse that can travel, jump and still find something when the pace changes.

Give the race its own identity

This is the Grade 1 novice hurdle over an intermediate trip on the Old Course. Older form books will use names including Ballymore, Neptune and Baring Bingham. Keep those aliases together when tracing the race’s history, while checking that a reference to the old Turners novice chase has not slipped into your research.

The extra distance does not make speed irrelevant. A horse can stay well yet find itself too far back when the leading group quickens. Equally, a speedy runner may travel beautifully before its early keenness catches up with it.

How much did the trial actually ask?

Look at whether a preparation race tested stamina, acceleration or little beyond basic competence. A slow early pace followed by a sprint can make the result look more informative about the Festival trip than it really is.

The beaten horses matter. Did the winner face an established yardstick or opponents still learning to race? Did a runner-up lose ground through an inexperienced jump and then recover? Those observations help you distinguish a solid level of form from a performance with credible room for development.

The right sort of improvement

For a novice stepping up in distance, look for relaxation and a strong finish rather than relying only on its breeding. For one coming back in trip, consider whether it has the speed to hold a position without its rider working too hard.

Once the field is declared, compare the likely pace and the ground with each horse’s best evidence. A shorter-priced runner with the strongest established form may still be the right answer, but do not turn potential into achievement simply because a horse has won its races easily.

Previous renewals

2026 WINNERKing Rasko GreyView official result ↗
2025 WINNERThe New LionView official result ↗

The 2027 runners

Declarations will settle the field.

The 2027 runners are not yet declared. A past winner or a horse quoted in an ante-post market is not a confirmed runner. Check entries, connections’ published plans and the final declarations before treating a horse as part of this field.

No live prices or confirmed 2027 runner list are presented in this guide. Reviewed 11 November 2026.

Your questions, answered

Is the Turners the old Ballymore?

Yes. This permanent guide follows the intermediate-distance novice hurdle through its sponsor-name changes.

Is it the same race as the former Turners novice chase?

No. The hurdle and chase are different races. The former Grade 1 intermediate novice chase was replaced by the Jack Richards handicap in 2025.

Sources & editorial notes

Reviewed 11 November 2026. Interpretation is Puntrr’s; factual results and conditions are linked below.

  1. Published 2027 Festival schedule
  2. Official course maps
  3. Official 2026 results
  4. Official 2025 results
puntrr.

The record. The reasoning. The full picture.

Cheltenham racecards ↗

Editorial information reviewed 11 November 2026. Illustrative hero artwork.

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