PUNTERS are predicting the rare spectacle of a two-horse race on the Thursday of Cheltenham Festival.
Superstar duo Bob Olinger and Galopin Des Champs have both been entered in the Turners’ Novices’ Chase.
Will Blackmore be a winner on Bob again?
The betting would suggest it is a match up between Henry de Bromhead and Willie Mullins’ runners.
Bob Olinger, De Bromhead’s charge set to be ridden by Rachael Blackmore, is evens with Paddy Power, while Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs is 6-5.
The next in the betting is Venetia Williams’ L’Homme Presse, but that horse looks bound for the Brown Advisory on the Wednesday.
Bravemansgame (5-1) is second fav for the Brown Advisory, while Blue Lord (7-1) is destined for the Arkle.
Jungle Boogie could line up in the Turners’ but also has entries in the Arkle and the National Hunt Challenge Cup, both on the Tuesday.
Gordon Elliott’s Riviere d’Etel is all set to contest the Arkle, as are Saint Sam and Haut En Couleurs.
That means punters will be going down to Capodanno at 14-1 as, realistically, the shortest-priced horse who could contest the race.
But even he is looking like running in the Brown Advisory.
So, given Bob Olinger and Galopin Des Champs are so far ahead of the rest, will they even bother?
Well, the lure of top prize money could tempt some to run.
But punters predicted a very, very limited field for the actual race.
Under a photo of the list of entries, one said: “How many runners? Three, four?”
Another said: “Be lucky if half a dozen of those go to post.”
A fellow Twitter user wrote: “It’s really looking like it could be a two-horse race in the Turners’.”
While those predicting a fuller field said the odds on the other horses could be huge, meaning they are attractive each way propisitions providing there are enough runners.
Another commented: “Could be 50-1 bar two on the day in the Turners’.”
A two-horse race could be a good omen for Blackmore, who performed this miracle on Gin On Lime at Cheltenham last year.
