Cheltenham Festival Trials Day reports and free video replays

Destiny completes Cheltenham hat-trick

Ginny's Destiny (4/1 favourite) produced a fine weight-carrying performance to win the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase, a race trainer Paul Nicholls won with Stage Star 12 months ago.

Harry Cobden jumped Ginny's Destiny out in front and despite Prairie Wolf matching strides with him for much of the contest, produced a superb round of fencing.

Prairie Wolf brushed through the top of the second last when still upsides but that mistake signalled the end of his challenge. Es Perfecto had moved smoothly through the field into second but never looked like picking up the winner and was passed for second by the rallying Theatre Man who had been outpaced on this drop in trip when the tempo quickened.

The winning margin was two and three quarter lengths. There were a further three and a half lengths back to Es Perfecto and the same to Prairie Wolf who landed the place money for Value Bet having been advised at 22/1 (returned 10/1).

Betfair Sportsbook quoted Ginny's Destiny at 9/1 for the Turners Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Nicholls told Racing TV: "We've been a bit quiet of late, this isn't our time of year really and we've just got the horses ready to run here.

"He's a proper horse and I just cannot explain to anyone how much he's improved from run to run to run. I’ve not had too many improve that much over a short period since Master Minded funnily enough. When Master Minded won that handicap at Sandown he then kept going forward and he has been doing the same.

"His work has been unbelievable, and I think he is a really smart horse.His work this week has been amazing; he worked with Rubaud the other morning and Rubaud couldn't work with him, he's a very smart horse and we'll come back here now for The Festival.

"He's every bit as good as Stage Star. Stage Star won that last year off 12 stone. We wanted to go quietly, quietly and now we'll go to a Grade 1 with him. I just think he's a very smart horse."

Cobden added: "You don't have to do that (lead) with him but he's won the last twice and why buck a trend that works. He was sharp at the first, Charlie Deutsch took me along over the first three or four but he just outjumped him on the way round.

"This horse is improving well, he's a very nice horse and hopefully there's a bit left under the bonnet."

Gordon Hall, joint owner, added: “He was always a big horse and we have had to give him plenty of time. What we have tried to do is leave him to grow into his frame as he is a big unit. The beauty of him is his jumping as he doesn’t touch them. It is a big asset to have around big tracks on big days when you are going up and down hill.

“I was concerned that somebody that was 10st 4lbs would just edge us. Harry (Cobden) has got off, and he is the man in charge, and he has said there is plenty more in the tank, and we didn’t even really ask him.

“He has not been overused. He had four runs over hurdles and won one of his two bumper starts and that is only his fourth chase start. He is possibly the best horse we have had. We have got some babies coming through and we have got a nice one in France called Le Chiffre D’Or. He is up there with all of them.

“It is nice to come here as it is Jump racing’s headquarters and to have three winners on the trot with him here is lovely. We have never had a Festival runner so it would be great to have one and we will have a go with him.”

Ga lays down the law

Ga Law (8/1) produced a game performance to win the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase.

Trainer Jamie Snowden had enjoyed a good week, winning the Grand Military Gold Cup on Friday, a race close to his heart, and it got even better with Ga Law winning for the first time since landing the Paddy Power Gold Cup at this course in 2022.

Fitted with cheekpieces for the Coral Gold Cup on his preceding start, Ga Law ran well for a long way at Newbury but didn't appear to get home. Dropped back to this two and a half mile trip, Gavin Sheehan was able to lay up with the early pace alongside Bill Baxter and Il Ridoto.

The field stacked up behind them at the top of the hill but none of the closers really managed to lay a glove on the leaders with Ga Law, Il Ridoto and Lounge Lizard pulling clear on the run to the second last. Ga Law was a little untidy at that obstacle but better at the last and kept on well to win by one and three quarter lengths.

Lounge Lizard finished second at 25/1 from 4/1 favourite Il Ridoto and Jetoile in fourth.

"It's just really nice to see this boy back," said Snowden, "because obviously he won the Paddy Power on the Old Course. He only just got up on the Old Course and on the back of that we went up in trip and went to the Sky Bet Chase and he took a nasty fall at the last when he was coming to win his race. We had him in the race at Doncaster today but we thought we wouldn’t go back to the scene of his disaster.

"We always thought we would get him back, but that fall was pretty nasty and it has just taken us a year to get him back. We have an incredible team at home and it is all credit to them.

"It's played on his mind for the best part of a year really and we saw in the Coral Gold Cup signs of life again. We put the cheekpieces on (at Newbury) and we thought we'd drop back in trip; we were going to go to Ascot last weekend but that was called off.

"I thought the New Course suited him better than the Old Course and he did it nicely. We were going to go to Kempton (for a valuable three mile handicap) and a sharper three miles like that should suit him well but we might have to come back here over two and a half at The Festival; we'll think about that another time.

“The partnership (that own him) is made up of five people, and the sixth person Nick Foot, who used to come with them to Cheltenham unfortunately died before they got this horse so they called it The Footie Partnership hoping to come to Cheltenham. He has won the Paddy Power for them and won here today so it is very poignant for them to come to Cheltenham.”

Sheehan said: "He probably just hasn't been the same with confidence (since falling at Doncaster). He's been going great at home and I promise you he's unreal at home but he just doesn't quite perform at the track. I let him go on because he's not been foot perfect and I thought I'd just give him that bit of room and let him do what he does best."

Game Gidleigh Park remains unbeaten

Gidleigh Park (5/6 favourite) emerged from the SSS Super Alloys Novices' Hurdle (registered As The Classic Novices' Hurdle) with his reputation intact but it was not without a scare.

The winner of a bumper and two hurdles was expected to take all the beating in this Grade 2 but Challow fourth Johnnywho laid down a strong challenge before Lucky Place swept outside the pair and stole a lead heading to the last.

Gidleigh Park responded to Johnny Burke's driving though and gradually wore down Lucky Place, winning by half a length.

There was a further five and a half lengths back to Isaac Des Obeaux in third.

Burke said of the winner: "He's massive and the more time he gets the better he's going to be.

"He winged over the first few hurdles and left me with a predicament. I was there to be shot at but I didn't want to let him stride on because if I went a gear faster they were only going to keep me honest so I was keen to try and save as much as I could.

"Off the bend I wasn't sure what I was going to find but I was happy to have something there jumping the last, to have something to aim at. That's the first time that I've had to get stuck into him and he really had to battle and he showed that.

"I would say so (that he'll run at the Festival), that's what these races are designed for isn't it? The only thing is he's that big so you should give him time but there's no reason why he shouldn't, he's gone round the track and everything; he'll learn a lot from today."

Winning trainer Harry Fry said: “It was a Grade Two on Trials Day so we knew we were stepping up in grade and he had to step up. Talking to Johnny the race has not been run to suit. It has turned into a bit of a sprint for home, but he has got down and battled and got the job done on the day.

“It was the first time he has had to really battle so he has learnt again, and he will be sharper for it. It has almost asked a few more questions opposed to giving us answers in terms of which race we run him in at The Festival in March. We have got to go home and reflect, but he has won, and we can’t complain about that and that is what it is all about at the end of the day. A win is a win in spite of things of the race not being quite run to suit, but it is onwards and upwards.

“I know come March they will go a proper gallop. He has come here and he leaves unbeaten so the dream is still alive. We will go home and enjoy it and it is a nice dilemma to have. He has done everything right so far. I don’t like comparing them and he will be Gidleigh Park and he will tell us how good he is on the racecourse.

“He is a big, tall individual and he was quite raw to begin with. The team have done a really good job to getting him to settle and strengthen out, particularly with the schooling as he could barely get around the bends.

“It is great for The Eyre Family as it is their first winner at Cheltenham. They have been patient and allowed us to take our time. Ultimately he is a chaser so what he is doing over hurdles is a bonus. Relieved is probably the overriding feeling right now, but he has won, and we have six weeks to work out which race to go for.”

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