Trials Day: Festival market movers and a 33/1 tip

From the start (Sir Gino) to the finish (Gidleigh Park), Festival Trials Day provided no end of quality fare.

Saturday's eight races also stuck to the words on the tin, as there were plenty of clues for Jump racing's biggest four days of the year in March. 

Numerous ante-post markets now look very different to 24 hours ago. Here’s what we learnt from the winners, plus several of those who played supporting roles. 

Race: Unibet Champion Hurdle. Before: 25/1. After: 14/1 

Race: Mares’ Hurdle. Before: 5/2. After: 4/5. 

Lossiemouth oozed class when making a winning return in the Unibet Hurdle. 

The five-year-old grey could hardly have won any easier and would be unbeaten in seven starts but for her luckless defeat at the Dublin Racing Festival last season. 

She’s as short as 6/1 to win the Champion Hurdle with those layers going non-runner-no-bet, while the odds on her landing the Mares’ Hurdle have shrunk to 4/5. 

But those excited about her potentially giving Constitution Hill a new challenge should think again. 

Willie Mullins runs his horses in the races he thinks they have the best chance of winning. So does Rich Ricci. And the revised ante-post odds tell you everything you need to know. The Mares’ Hurdle represents her best chance of gaining a second Festival success after that brilliant Triumph Hurdle win last year. 

Ricci confirmed afterwards that the longer race would be her target. 

She clocked 52.74sec for the final four furlongs, at least 2.28sec quicker than anything else in the field with Paul Townend sitting motionless. But her winning time was slower than Sir Gino, over the same trip, earlier in the day.

Race: JCB Triumph Hurdle. Before: 6/1. After: 6/4. 

An electric display in the opening race by Nicky Henderson’s French recruit means he is now no bigger than 6/4 for the Triumph, with some firms going Evens. He thumped Burdett Road by ten lengths without being extended and the runner-up is out to 12/1, having been 4/1 favourite. 

Sir Gino was the pick of the paddock and easy on the eye in the race, too, as he found everything in his comfort zone. 

Milan Tino, with Grade One-placed form in the book, was given a non-nonsense ride from the front but Sir Gino stalked him and breezed past between the final two flights after briefly getting lit up going down the hill. Once James Bowen invited him to put his stamp on things after the last, the contest was swiftly over. 

The Raceiq data tells us he clocked a top speed of 35.39mph and that he was especially swift over the final three furlongs. His quickest furlong was his 15th, of 17, when clocking 12.9sec. He was the only horse in the race to dip under 13sec for any furlong. And his final time was 1.81 sec quicker than Lossiemouth later in the afternoon, carrying 5lb more. 

Sir Gino jumped much better than he did on his British debut at Kempton, while Burdett Road was also much better in that department. The latter, so impressive at Cheltenham last month, simply bumped into a superior rival. 

Race: Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. Before: 5/2. After: 9/2. 

The £22,000 that Jonbon picked up for finishing second in the rescheduled My Pensions Expert Clarence House Chase means he has now accrued more prize-money (£616,000) that he’s revered older brother, Douvan. 

But that will be of little consolation to his owner, JP McManus, or those who took short odds about the eight-year-old. The 1-4 favourite lost out by a neck to Elixir Du Nutz, despite officially having 14lb in hand of that rival. In addition, 18-year-old conditional Freddie Gingell was unable to claim his 5lb allowance on the winner because of the race’s status. 

It all went wrong for Jonbon four fences from home when he made an almighty blunder that left James Bowen clambering to keep the partnership intact. The Raceiq data revealed he lost more than 11mph in speed and his recovery time was just short of three seconds, which was pivotal by the finish. 

In truth, none of the five runners excelled in the jumping department, and as a consequence Jonbon still looked sure to win as he asserted going down to the final fence, only to slow into that obstacle and then resemble a punch-drunk heavyweight on the run-in. He lost another 8.57mph at the final fence, with his recovery time being just over two seconds. 

Jonbon was clearly below-par, and we know he has a much bigger performance in him. But this display rang lots of alarm bells and if El Fabiolo was watching events unfold in his box, then he will sleep easily this evening. 

Jonbon’s Champion Chase odds have almost doubled. By contrast, El Fabiolo is now no bigger than 4/7, having been 10/11 in the morning. 

Race: Turners Novice Chase. Before: 20/1. After: 9-1. 

Will Ginny’s Destiny emulate Stage Star, his stablemate, after his emphatic victory in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase? 

Stage Star scooped the race last year, off a rating of 144, and went on to land the Turners. Ginnys Destiny won off a 3lb higher mark here and again always looked in his comfort zone, travelling easily and again jumping with great athleticism. Nicholls said: “I was expecting that on his homework as he has improved massively from 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."

It was only in the final stages that Harry Cobden had to ask for a bit more from Stage Star, with the likeable Theatre Man closing him down without ever looking like laying a glove on him. 

It was Ginny’s Destiny’s jumping which made the difference, especially in the first half of the race. The Raceiq data reveals he gained 16.56 lengths with his leaping, being best over five of the first 11 obstacles. To an extent, of course, the  was enjoying the freedom of having no traffic to contend with at the head of affairs, but nobody can dispute that his fluent jumping is a big weapon.

He had been 20/1 for the Turners before his third successive Cheltenham success and is now a best-priced 9/1. Gaelic Warrior remains the warm favourite for that contest. 

Meanwhile, it will be no surprise to see Theatre Man back up in trip at the Festival, with the Ultima on day one looking an obvious race for him.

Several firms trimmed him for that contest (to as short as 14/1) but Betfair looked the other way and still go a hugely tempting 33/1.

Theatre Man ran off 134 here and is likely to be nudged up a couple of pounds, but he will still be at the right end of the weights for the day one handicap. Last year, a mark of 129 was needed to get in the race. 

Race: Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle. Before: 25/1. After: 16/1 

Emmet Mullins is never one to stick to orthodox routes and his decision to target the 2022 Grand National winner at the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle in March looks more than vindicated after a tenacious victory in the McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle. 

Having looked in trouble up the straight, the nine-year-old showed great resolution to muscle his way to the front before fending off the valiant Paisley Park in a compelling finish. 

More will be required in March, but the rugged Noble Yeats, who was fourth in the Gold Cup at the Festival last year, will not fail through lack of stamina or effort. 

He ranges between 8/1 and 16/1 for the Stayers’, having been 33/1 at the start of the day. 

Paisley Park fans suffered more heartbreak, with the gallant 12-year-old suffering a third successive narrow defeat this term. He’s now a best-priced 20/1 to win a second Stayers’ crown, trimmed from 25/1. 

Race: Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle. Before: 10/1. After: 12/1. 

The imposing six-year-old sent favourite backers home happy with his gritty victory, but those who have supported him ante-post for the Festival will be less content. 

Gidleigh Park’s had to dig fairly deep to prevail by half a length from Lucky Place. The bookmakers were not impressed and pushed him out in the betting. 

He remains a smashing long-term prospect, but this performance hinted that March will come quick enough. 

Lucky Place was giving a nod to Golden Ace, who beat him at Taunton last time. And, in turn, Dysart Enos, who trounced Golden Ace last season. Dysart Enos remains 4/1 for the Mares’ Novice Hurdle. 

Race: Ryanair Chase. Before: 50/1. After: 25/1. 

It seemed puzzling that a horse who ran in the Grand National last season, and who finished a keeping-on third to Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase over Christmas was not at least entered in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup this month, especially with JP McManus having no other contender for chasing’s blue riband. It seems even more perplexing after his victory in the Cotswold Chase. 

Instead, Capodanno is in the Ryanair Chase over half a mile less than on Saturday. It seems difficult to believe the lesser test will suit him, not least because it will put more emphasis on his jumping, which has let him down in the past. 

Nevertheless, the 50/1 available at the close of play on Friday has been halved. Coral and Ladbrokes offer that price, when most of their rivals go 12/1. 

Meanwhile, Stay Away Fay remains a 13/2 chance for the Brown Advisory after finishing a creditable third. He finished only three-quarters of a length behind The Real Whacker on level terms here, and of course that horse won the Brown Advisory last season.