Turners' Novices' Chase 2023 Tips - Sandown runner-up overpriced in Cheltenham betting
- Ante-post tips for the 2023 Turners' Novices' Chase
- This Grade One takes place on day three of the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday 16th March
- Balco Coastal is our ante-post selection at 20/1

Nico de Boinville riding Balco Coastal at Huntingdon. (Getty)
Day three at the Cheltenham Festival opens with the Turners' Novices' Chase. Despite it's fairly young age, this Grade One has been won by plenty of classy horses down the years, including future Ryanair Chase winner, Vautour.
We've taken a look through the ante-post market for the Turners' Novices' Chase and picked out our best betting tips.
2023 Turners Novices' Chase Odds
The betting for this year's Turners is topped by Mighty Potter, who took his tally of Grade One victories to four at the Dublin Racing Festival. You can find the full market for the 2023 Turners' Novices' Chase here on our website.
Gordon Elliott's charge has barely put a foot wrong since being sent over fences. Mighty Potter won nicely on his chase debut at Down Royal, before going on to beat Gaillard Du Mesnil in the Drinmore. Davy Russell's mount was even more impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival, where Mighty Potter comprehensively outjumped some top Irish rivals to claim an eight length success.
The one worry I do have with Mighty Potter is Cheltenham. Gordon Elliott's charge didn't enjoy his first Festival experience in the Supreme 12 months ago. Mighty Potter was noticably unsettled going around the parade ring and crashed into the rail as he made his way out onto the track. The vets gave Russell's mount the all-clear, but those antics certainly didn't help is cause when the race eventually got underway and Mighty Potter was pulled up well before the end.
Elliott's six-year-old will return to Cheltenham a year older and a year wiser. Yet, the traumatic experience he endured at the Festival 12 months ago may come back to haunt the favourite. I'm happy to leave Mighty Potter alone at odds of 6/4.
2023 Turners Novices' Chase Tips
The obvious place to start when looking for an alternative is Willie Mullins. Appreciate It looks certain to step up in trip, but I don't fancy the former Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner for any race at Cheltenham on the back of that extremely tame effort in the Irish Arkle. James Du Berlais blotted his copybook badly with a dreadful performance behind Mighty Potter the following day. Sir Gerhard looks set to go for the three-miler, and neither Adamantly Chosen nor Bronn really get my juices flowing.
Joseph O'Brien will step Banbridge back up in trip following a good run in the Irish Arkle and he has to be regarded as a serious player. As does Journey With Me, who won nicely on his second start over fences and was only narrowly beaten by Impervious when last seen at Punchestown.
One I feel is distinctly overpriced is Nicky Henderson's entrant, BALCO COASTAL. Nico De Boinville's mount ran a cracker on his Grade One debut in the Scilly Isles, pushing Gerri Colombe - who had already won a Grade One over Christmas - all the way to the line.
De Boinville was forced into making the running that day and Balco Coastal was noticably keen in the early stages. Gerri Colombe joined the leader going into the back-straight, but a better jump from Balco Coastal at the final railway fence put the favourite under pressure.
Henderson's seven-year-old was still coasting along approaching the last. Gerri Colombe then came surging back into contention, which seemed to surprise Nico De Boinville, who was caught a little flat-footed. A better jump from Jordan Gainford's mount saw Gerri Colombe open up a two-length advantage on Balco Coastal and Gordon Elliott's raider was able to hold his British rival on the run to the line.
Balco Coastal lost nothing in defeat that day. In fact, he enhanced his reputation as one of the most promising novice chasers in the UK. At Sandown, and during his handicap romp at Kempton over Christmas, Nico De Boinville's charge jumped out to his left, so the New Course at the Cheltenham Festival could be to his advantage. Henderson's charge ran well on his only previous visit to Prestbury Park, finishing second to North Lodge in the Ballymore Trial last January, where Henderson's charge was inconvenienced when the winner squashed him into the rail in the closing stages.
Verdict
Gentlemansgame and Loughderg Rocco are our ante-post selections for the 2023 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.
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