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Turners Novices’ Hurdle: The New Lion and Final Demand set for battle
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 10 Mar 2025
The New Lion and Final Demand will face off in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, with a field of 11 declared for Wednesday’s opener at Cheltenham.
Dan Skelton’s The New Lion has won each of his three starts this season, with his impressive Challow Hurdle victory prompting leading owner JP McManus to splash the cash and add him to his squad.
Harry Skelton, who rides The New Lion, said: “We’ve always believed in this horse since day one and I think what he did at Newbury was obviously really impressive. We’re very happy with him and I think the drying ground is going to be a big help and there are no negatives.
“People mention the stats about the Challow winners at Cheltenham but I think it’s nonsense. Normally the Challow is run in very testing conditions and horses haven’t got over that race by the time they get to Cheltenham.
“But there is one thing me and Dan said would happen is that if it was soft to heavy ground at Newbury, he wouldn’t have run. It wasn’t the case, it was good to soft, he bolted up and we’ll see this week if he can do the same.
“He’s as good as we’ve had as a novice hurdler, he’s done everything right and we think he will handle the occasion. We have plenty of respect for Final Demand, but I wouldn’t be swapping our horse for anything.”
Final Demand laughed at his rivals at the Dublin Racing Festival and will have plenty of supporters as he looks to give Willie Mullins a fourth successive winner of the race.
Mullins also runs Kaid d’Authie, Kappa Jy Pyke, Kel Histoire, Kiss Will and Supersundae, while Gordon Elliott has also stuck to his plan and declared The Yellow Clay rather than wait for the Albert Bartlett.
The champion trainer holds an extremely strong hand in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase with four of the seven runners.
Ballyburn is a hot favourite with stablemate Dancing City his main market rival. Lecky Watson and Quai de Bourbon also go for Mullins with Elliott fielding last year’s Albert Bartlett winner Stellar Story and Better Days Ahead. Henry de Bromhead’s Gorgeous Tom completes the field.
There are 18 in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper with Mullins responsible for five with Copacabana, Gameofinches, Sortudo, Aqua Force and Bambino Fever.
A full field has been declared for the Coral Cup with Maxxum heading the weights.
The ante-post favourite is Be Aware for the Skeltons, with Harry Skelton saying: “We’ve just been waiting until the spring, to be honest, since finishing second in the Greatwood. He’s fresh and I think he’s got a big chance. Hopefully the step up in trip will suit him really well and I think he’s unexposed as well.”
The Skeltons also bring back last year’s winner Unexpected Party for another crack at the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase.
Harry Skelton said: “The only problem is he’s 6lb higher this year, but he’s really turned a corner now it’s spring. He ran well at Windsor and he’s taken a big step forward since then. He’s definitely got a chance and I think the drying ground will suit him.”
Joe Tizzard’s JPR One carries top weight having swerved the Queen Mother.
There is also a full field for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase with Stumptown, Galvin, Vanillier and Mister Coffey all declared.
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