Accurate jumping was palpably the critical difference between Ginny’s Destiny winning and Grey Dawninglosing the 2m4f novices’ chase at Cheltenham last Friday, with the @Race_IQ data showing the runner-up lost 2.79 lengths in a direct comparison with the winner when smashing through the second last and landed 9.06mph slower than when approaching the fence. 

However, Ginny’s Destiny is exactly the kind of horse who wins more races than perhaps his ability strictly merits – due not just to being well-blessed in the jumping department but also to his darn straightforwardness. He controlled the race from the front again here, but he doesn’t have to be played that way. As rider Harry Cobden put it, “his main asset is that he’s so rideable”. 

The winner dictated without company until the final circuit, when Trelawne – who’d taken a good hold in the early stages – joined him up front at the ninth, but he jumped with the same measured alertness regardless of whether there was a rival beside him. The Carlisle winner had smacked the seventh and his jumping would become lower and riskier as he worked to hold his position in the latter stages.  

Grey Dawning was mixed; patiently ridden on the inside, he’d been a tad slow at the first fence but was clever at the eighth when getting in too close. Crebilly, who’d still been travelling well when falling two out behind Ginny’s Destiny at Cheltenham in November, was patiently ridden along with Wincanton handicap winner Tritonic. 

Chase debutant Blue Hop, also making his seasonal return after wind surgery, was the only contender whose jumping was sketchy from the outset. The rank outsider appeared to lose confidence mid-leap when standing off the second, causing him to blunder, and then hung in the air for a trio of early fences prior to again standing off the inviting sixth last but dragging his hind legs through it. He landed awkwardly and immediately lost touch. 

The rest remained well bunched until the final four fences caused their separation. Crebilly blundered and Trelawne clipped the top of four out, after which Tritonic began to feel the heat. Ginny’s Destiny brushed through the tricky third last but dependably found safe landing, whilst Crebilly was stretched and scruffy. 

On the home turn, Harry Skelton angled strong-travelling Grey Dawning off the inside rail to prepare his attack whilst Cobden asked his mount to raise the pace, immediately placing Trelawne under pressure approaching the penultimate fence. Yet it was the grey who smashed through it whilst tentative Crebilly backed off it. The other two skipped clear but Trelawne was already faltering when barely taking off and walking through the last. 

Having reacted remarkably well to his cataclysmic error when asked for a bold jump at the last, Grey Dawning steadily made ground on the winner to narrow the deficit to three-quarters of a length at the line. Trelawne stayed on more steadily, his last-fence blunder only rendering him briefly vulnerable to Crebilly for third, meaning his trainer Kim Bailey rued not running him in the following day’s three-mile handicap instead. 

The Skeltons were united with most onlookers in thinking Grey Dawning would have won but for the gravity of his blunder, albeit the winning trainer and jockey emphasised that Ginny’s Destiny idles in front and finds plenty for pressure. Those making the argument for Crebilly to reverse the form of his November encounter with Ginny’s Destiny perhaps underestimated those factors.  

The score between this first and second is now one-all, however, with the grey having triumphed by five lengths when they met in last term’s Grade Two Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick. Back then, Ginny’s Destiny pressed on a shade precipitately and Grey Dawning oozed stamina. 

Chasing is clearly this winner’s game. Whilst he’s pegged in Cobden’s mind at a level below stablemates Stay Away Fay and Hermes Allen as a smart handicapper in the making, trainer Paul Nicholls remains more open-minded about Ginny’s Destiny place in the pecking order. 

“When they’re improving like this, you just don’t know how far they can go,” he said. “He jumps and he gallops. I’d say from what I see at home he isn’t too far behind them. He’s got a bit to go to get where they are, but he’s starting off the right way.” 

Nicholls went on to compare the winner with his Ryanair hope Stage Star in terms of his progress through handicaps. Indeed, I had expected him to cite the novices’ handicap won by that horse last term as the next target for Ginny’s Destiny, given his fluent negotiation of Cheltenham’s jumping challenges, but the trainer believes he’ll improve for stepping up to three miles and heads for Warwick’s Grade Two Hampton Novices’ Chase. 

That sets up the prospect of a decider because Dan Skelton is inclined to send Grey Dawning there, too – a race in which he beat the Nicholls-trained Complete Unknown with smart mare Galia Des Liteaux last season. 

The following day, Broadway Boy took the aforementioned three-mile handicap – against established chasers such as 2022 Gold Cup third Protektorat – much to the evident joy of Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant trainer to his father Nigel and brother to rider Sam. Both apparent protagonists were emphatic in deflecting all credit his way, both for having bought the horse and for masterminding his campaign. 

Very much his father’s son, Willy has no small dice to roll. He’s talking about the Fleur De Lys Chase next, triggering a very different rematch with Protektorat from whom his novice received 19lb on Saturday. As the winner of a Grade Three handicap – like Stage Star, who also heads for Lingfield’s race – Broadway Boy would concede 4lb both to Protektorat and a returning L’Homme Pressé. The Festival’s Grade One Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, rather than the National Hunt Chase, has also been earmarked.  

Broadway Boy will need to iron out the errors for targets such as those. Whilst he’s essentially a sound jumper, he remains palpably a work in progress. Scrappy behind Flooring Porter at Cheltenham in October, he was much more fluent when spanking disappointing stablemate Weveallbeencaught there last month. 

Last Saturday, he lost his rhythm for three fences from eight out and did well to regain his equilibrium to fend off Threeunderthrufive – albeit the horse who would surely have posed the greatest threat, Malina Girl, herself departed when travelling well three out. However, the winner’s final two assured leaps, paired with a doughty head carriage, put the race beyond doubt. 

Earlier that same day in Ireland, Hunters Yarn should have made a winning debut over fences because he was about four lengths clear when meeting Fairyhouse’s last fence completely wrong and ultimately taking a somersaulting fall in its opening two-mile beginners chase. He was the best in the field over hurdles and had taken to his new discipline well until that point. 

His error left Sa Fureur, who’d suffered a similar experience behind Facile Vega on his chasing bow, to come home in isolation as no other rival had been able to stick with Hunters Yarn from the home turn. The de facto winner carried his tail high when sent in pursuit and was already struggling to keep up when running down the second last to his left, a habit he’d shown at Navan on debut. 

Byker, runner-up in the Boodles Fred Winter last term, crossed the line 40 lengths adrift in second and continues to run poorly, despite having jumped soundly on this switch to fences. Battle It Out completed without being competitive, having taken a heavy fall when in the process of a revival at Punchestown previously. Hunters Yarn’s stablemate Polo Lounge, returning from a year off, made the running until three out here but jumped wildly and sometimes suddenly left. 

Team Mullins had enjoyed better fortune at Naas two days earlier when Blood Destiny made a highly promising start over fences. Stepping up to 2m4f for the first time, he proved less headstrong than when hurdling as a juvenile last season – most self-defeatingly when refusing to settle in the company of fellow hotheads in the Triumph vanguard. 

He had typically controlled the race from the front and tightened his grip with excellent leaps at most fences, notably when extending his lead three out. Runner-up Heart Wood had already been niggled by Rachael Blackmore to keep tabs on the leader and that obstacle was his breaking point. He’d previously finished second over the same course and distance to Grangeclare West on returning from a year off. 

The winner finished a little tired, having gone a fair clip in soft ground, and that showed with mildly scrappy jumps at the last two, but he looks a smart recruit to this discipline.  

“Blood Destiny was dynamite everywhere and always looking for the next fence,” rider Paul Townend testified. “He’s a real chaser. They tried to push me and get him lit up, but I wasn’t interfering with him and he was getting a length everywhere with his jumping.” 

Stable companion Spanish Harlem, a Martin Pipe flop in March, jumped least well but still snatched third from the circumspectly ridden Landrake on the line and will do better when upped in trip. 

Dysart Enos opened Cheltenham’s December meeting with a smart success in the 2m1f National Hunt novices’ hurdle, her jumping standing up well in a more competitive field than she faced when awkward at times on her debut over obstacles against mares at Huntingdon. 

The event began at a crawl, prompting Jordan Nailor to give up the unequal fight with Spirits Bay and allow him to surge to the front from the fourth flight, but things still didn’t truly get going until two out when Dysart Enos cruised between the leader and game challenger Beat The Bat, who – like the mare – carried a 6lb penalty for his previous success. 

Dysart Enos had more essential pace than her main challenger, on whom Jonathan Burke was rowing to keep up, and had plenty left to attack the last and the final climb to win by the best part of three lengths. 

The Irish duo wasn’t far behind – and Soldatino would have finished a closer third bar for being hampered by the capsizing fall at the last of Spirits Bay, who would otherwise probably have held on for that spot. Fourth-placed compatriot Kintail againshaped like a thorough stayer, if only he can settle better. There was promise from hurdles debutant Brendas Asking in fifth, if she can eradicate the mistakes. 

Winning trainer Fergal O’Brien was helpfully definitive about his mare’s ultimate target this season. Despite beating geldings here, she’ll be sticking to her own sex in the Dawn Run in March rather than attempting the Sky Bet Supreme because her rising trainer is understandably conscious that he’s yet to add a Festival race to his growing CV. 

That removes a key variable if you like her for that target, for which she’s widely 4/1 second favourite now behind Down Royal winner Brighterdaysahead – herself entered against the geldings in the Grade One Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on 27 December. 

As for likeable Beat The Bat, having found for pressure he shapes as though the EBF NH Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final, staged the Friday prior to Cheltenham at Sandown over 2m4f, would be right up his street. He hails from the family of 2003 Supreme and 2004 Bula winner Back In Front. 

Over at Thurles two days later, Fun Fun Fun would have made it two from two had she not pitched forward on landing, having jumped the final flight cleanly, and completely lost her balance and footing in the Listed Mares Novice Hurdle. That left Birdie Or Bust, otherwise clear second best, to skirt around her and bound to an unearned success. 

It must have been a doubly frustrating outcome for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins because not only had Fun Fun Fun jumped well until that point, she was also less headstrong than when winning at the same track on her hurdles debut. 

Back at Cheltenham on Saturday, Shanagh Bob edged out two rivals with significantly greater experience to win the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Bristol Novices’ Hurdle over the same course and distance as the Festival equivalent. Having been slightly outpaced and jumping right at the second last, he responded to pressure to get back upsides at the last and then, despite paddling through it, steadily draw away for victory. 

Although still palpably raw around the edges, he’s unbeaten in three starts now – first in an Irish Point and then, on his debut for Nicky Henderson, meeting the very different demands of a 2m4f Plumpton novice event. His trainer is prepared to entertain thoughts of returning in March, for a race that is more often these days dominated by horses of this unexposed profile. 

Runner-up Destroytheevidence and third-placed Irish raider Moon D’Orange were rated 129 and 125 respectively going into this contest, having had five or more previous spins over obstacles. The former, who has flashed his tail in the past, had to be driven into contention at the start by David Bass and frequently lacked fluency at his hurdles. 

Fourth-placed Kerryhill shaped as a better long-term prospect, appearing as though three miles might just stretch him at this stage, whilst Genietoile ran far better than eighth implies. Still in contention with the four principals until the home turn, his rider accepted defeat when lying in fifth approaching the last. He’s now qualified for handicaps and can definitely win in that grade. 

Clearly, the Christmas period will help to shuffle this division into a better-defined order but those to have particularly caught my eye are recent Navan Grade Two winner Slade Steel, who finds plenty when asked and won’t be seen again until the new year, and Thurles maiden winner Daddy Long Legs. 

The latter is still a bit gawky but strikes me as having plenty of ability. He’s currently second favourite behind Down Memory Lane – a strong-travelling winner last month at Down Royal – for Leopardstown’s Christmas Grade One two-mile, but it remains to be seen whether he’s quite street-wise enough for that target just yet. If Mullins opts to run him from a cast of thousands, that will say plenty enough about him. 

I’m also interested in different ways in Cannock Park and Jango Baie, both of whom could be heading for the Grade One Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day. This race replaces the Tolworth at Sandown, traditionally staged on the first Saturday of the new year, and its inaugural entries suggest this Pattern re-jig is a good move. 

Other potential rivals have achieved more than this pair in limited evidence to date – notably second-season novice Lookaway, runner-up in the Greatwood last time out, and Farren Glory, already triumphant at this level in the Royal Bond. 

But this track will suit Cannock Park far better than Cheltenham, where he won in November, and Jango Baie did well to rally past Tellherthename – who may yet reoppose here – at Ascot after making a last-flight error. 

An Bradan Feasa further enhanced the status of Burdett Road as Britain’s leading juvenile when winning the opening JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham last Saturday – and captured another significant milestone in the upwardly mobile career of Jack Jones in the process. 

This first course success on merely his second attempt was the young Newmarket trainer’s fourth victory of the current jumps season, supplementing his score of 22 (and counting) on the Flat in only his second term with a licence. Having honed his trade with Chris Waller (helping to prepare the mighty Winx) and then assisted both David Simcock and Richard Spencer, Jones has since struck out under his own steam with justifiable confidence. 

He obtained lightly raced An Bradan Feasa from the yard of Joseph O’Brien after he’d run once on the Flat and won his hurdling debut at Ballinrobe. The Irish recruit immediately found improvement with a six-and-a-half-length second behind the smart Burdett Road at Grade Two level here in November, even if he was mildly flattered by largely controlling the race from the front. 

Gorgeous-looking French raider Milan Tino – more of a staying chaser in the making – and Eagle Prince, who reopposed on Saturday, were behind in third and fourth respectively on that occasion. 

After An Bradan Feasa ballooned the first and guessed a little at the next, Tom Bellamy opted to cut into the long lead set by recent Wetherby winner Kourosh – at a solid enough pace – after the third. He was initially accompanied in this endeavour by Chepstow victor Balboa, who to his credit continued to hang in there but was all out to keep up from the second last. 

Kourosh jumped that obstacle better than An Bradawn Feasa but he was mastered on the approach to the last, Bellamy’s mount able to bag the traditional stands’ rail and putting his rival under such pressure that he entirely fluffed the last in such an awkward manner that he’d surely have been sore the following morning. Strong-staying Balboa then inherited second and although he inched closer, he could never threaten the winner. 

In the backwash, both the sturdily built Eagle Prince and well-related maiden Walk The Moon again showed enough to suggest they can win races when their sights are lowered slightly – especially if the latter learns to settle better. Jones plans to target the Boodles Fred Winter with the winner, acknowledging that Burdett Road, also a Royal Ascot winner, is at a different level. 

Over in Ireland that same day, Pacini got off the mark at the third time of asking in a Fairyhouse maiden that he controlled from the front with a sound round of jumping. Green Sky, his main rival according to the market, got stuck in traffic on the home turn but couldn’t even get past Hey Whatever as the winner quickened away in the straight. 

The winner’s jumping is improving with experience – albeit it was not remotely pressurised here. He looks another Fred Winter type for Gordon Elliott, who will have smarter juveniles for the Triumph. Indeed, we’ve discussed a couple of them on the Road To Cheltenham show already, both of them mares – reliable Newbury winner Wodhooh and Grade Three runner-up Kala Conti. 

The latter chased home the O’Brien-trained Nurburgring in that Fairyhouse encounter, the time stacking up well in comparison with the Royal Bond for older novices and the handicap over the same course and distance that day. The 1-2 feature among entries for the Grade Two South Dublin Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day, where they could face – among notable others – the Willie Mullins-trained French recruit Kargese, who’s won two of her three starts at Auteuil already. 

Wodhooh didn’t need to be at her best to beat Max Of Stars (the latter conceding 3lb) at Newbury and Elliott suggested he might try her next in Chepstow’s Finale Hurdle on 27 December, that race freshly downgraded to Grade Two this season. Max Of Stars then went to Aintree just eight days later and ran poorly in heavy ground behind the Paul Nicholls-trained dual winner Liari. 

Advised 16/11/23: Envoi Allen at 16/1 for the Ryanair Chase with Paddy Power   

She got plenty o’ nuttin’