Six winners who enhanced their Cheltenham Festival claims at the weekend

SIR GINO (143p from 132p)

The Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle, registered as the Finesse, featured a clash between the two leading British-trained hopes for the Triumph Hurdle, both unbeaten coming into the race, and was settled decisively in favour of Sir Gino, who produced a performance among the best in the race's recent history, on a par with Fakir d'Oudairies and Defi du Seuil, his future potentially every bit as bright as that pair managed; the pace was fair, the leader kicking on after two out, four in theory still in with a chance before the last until the winner quickened so well he covered the final furlong faster than Lossiemouth managed in the later International Hurdle.

Sir Gino had looked a bright prospect on his British debut at Kempton and looked even more exciting in following up at this higher level, comprehensively defeating the previous Triumph favourite Burdett Road by ten lengths and setting a high standard for the best of the Irish to try and match at the Dublin Racing Festival next weekend. Never far away, Sir Gino travelled strongly, tracked the pace before fourth, led on the bridle before last and quickened clear on the run-in to win impressively. He’ll go on improving and is sure to win more good races.

GINNY’S DESTINY (157p from 151p)

Paul Nicholls’ Ginny’s Destiny took another step up the ladder as he brought up a Cheltenham hat-trick in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase and in an eye-catchingly fast time compared to Ga Law’s in the card’s other handicap chase that followed. He’d had luck on his side in seeing off Broadway-bound Grey Dawning for the middle leg of his hat-trick but needed none here as he eclipsed stablemate Stage Star's achievement of twelve months earlier in carrying top weight to success from a mark 5 lb higher than that stablemate had defied, setting himself on the likely same path in the Turners at the Festival.

Ginny’s Destiny’s ongoing improvement is the most obvious recommendation as to his likely chance of pulling off the same double, but he's notably uncomplicated with it and seems pretty much flawless in terms of jumping and resolution, which may not be the case with ante-post favourite Gaelic Warrior considering he's yet to run in a chase on a left-handed track when jumping right has long since been a tendency. Soon in front on the inner, Harry Cobden's trademark approach on the chase course here, he measured every fence perfectly until getting in a little close two out, by which point he'd started to assert his superiority in any case, in full command by the last and closed down late on only by Theatre Man, a strong stayer at the trip that was just getting going. Ginny’s Destiny is very much one to keep on the right side.

LOSSIEMOUTH (154p from 150)

In one of the most significant changes to the Pattern this season, the International Hurdle was moved from the December meeting to Trials' day, with the Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial and Contenders Hurdle removed from the programme, the aim being to offer a more meaningful prep race for the Champion Hurdle itself. That goal needed the presence of Constitution Hill to fulfil its aim and while a bad scope meant he wasn't in the field the race still produced a performance worthy of a Champion Hurdle contender, with the returning Triumph Hurdle winner Lossiemouth routing her rivals; the race developed into a sprint after two out, the winner doing well in the circumstances to draw so far clear of the other mare in the field Love Envoi.

Lossiemouth made a sparkling return to action to justify market strength, scoring with any amount in hand on her first start out of juvenile company. Held up, she tanked along, made smooth headway after two out, led on the bridle at the last and quickened clear for an impressive win. The speed she showed in a slowly-run race suggests the Champion Hurdle should be her target, but her sex and the fact that Willie Mullins has the likes of State Man and Impair Et Passe for the race means that she's likely to contest the Mares' Hurdle, likely to take all the beating in that, despite the trip being an unknown (her pedigree as much speed as stamina for a jumper).

JADE DE GRUGY (135P from 129P)

The Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse proved a stepping stone to Grade 1 success for last season's winner, Ashroe Diamond (also a Grade 2 winner at Doncaster this weekend), and Jade de Grugy will surely be a player in the division's top events such as the Dawn Run at the Festival after another impressive display, giving Willie Mullins - who was also responsible for the runner-up A Penny A Hundred - a third straight success in the race.

Carrying the same colours as another former Solerina winner Honeysuckle, Jade de Grugy maintained her unbeaten record having previously won a bumper in France and a maiden hurdle on her stable debut at Leopardstown last month. Never far away, she travelled strongly, went on two out and quickened clear before the last to beat her stablemate by six and a half lengths. She's a very exciting prospect and sure to win races in an even higher grade.

EMBASSY GARDENS (154p from 149P)

A couple of non-runners reduced the field to four for Sunday’s Naas Novice Chase but it proved an informative event all the same, if modestly run, the progressive Embassy Gardens proving far too strong for Sandor Clegane and Letsbeclearboutit who did much better than him in last season's Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival where that pair both made the frame.

Embassy Gardens has made a most encouraging start to his chasing career and made it two from two over fences after an easy win on his chasing debut at Punchestown last month. He’s already much better in this sphere than over hurdles with the prospect of more to come too, his strength at the finish here suggesting a tilt at the National Hunt Chase is the way to go with him. He chased Sandor Clegane out wide travelling smoothly, jumping accurately again, was produced to lead between the last two and cruised clear to win by ten lengths.

JASMIN DE VAUX (107p)

The bumper that concluded Naas’s card provided a fitting ending to a weekend that couldn't have gone much better for Willie Mullins who sent out a total of nine winners over Saturday and Sunday on either side of the Irish Sea, Jasmin de Vaux marking himself down as a live Champion Bumper contender in pulling well clear.

He’s a son of Tirwanako, who also sired the smart Arkle runner-up Gabynako, and is a half-brother to a couple of winning hurdlers in Britain, including the useful Bastien. Successful on his sole outing in points, Jasmin de Vaux was sent off at 4/11 under Patrick Mullins for his bumper debut and looked a very good prospect in winning impressively, soon travelling strongly in the lead before being headed a circuit out and then leading again over a furlong out to draw fifteen lengths clear of runner-up His Nibs at the line. Jasmin de Vaux was made a general second favourite for the Champion Bumper on the back of this.

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