Ginny’s Destiny was the star of the show at Cheltenham on Saturday with a sparkling display from the front under top weight in the Class 2 Timeform Novice Chase.
He has now won three times at the track this season and will be returning to Cheltenham again in March for the Turners. It’s the same route taken successfully by Stage Star a year ago and Ginny’s Destiny looks to have equally strong claims. He has improved massively since joining us this season and on his homework I was confident of a big run on Saturday. I haven’t had many improve that much over a short period of time since Master Minded after he won a handicap at Sandown then won the game spirit followed by the Champion chase and I think I he is a really serious horse.
It was great to see Harry Cobden complete a big race double on Noble Yeats in the Cleeve Hurdle. He is riding at the top of his game and we will be supporting him all the way in his bid to become champion jockey for the first time.
I’m delighted that Freddie Gingell deservedly took the plaudits with his first Grade 1 success on Elixir De Nutz in the Clarence House Stakes trained by his uncle Joe Tizzard. Freddie is a lovely lad, works full time for me and has made huge progress since he first joined the yard as an eager young amateur and has a big future .
Il Ridoto, Stay Away Fay, Rubaud and Isaac Des Obeaux all finished in the frame for Team Ditcheat at Cheltenham with Welcom to Cartries finishing second in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett River Don at Doncaster.
Il Ridoto ran another sound race to be third in the Paddy Power Chase which he won a year ago off a 10lbs lower mark while Hitman needed the run and will come on for it.
I was thrilled with Stay Away Fay who kept on strongly to be third in the Cotswold Chase and was unsuited by the slow pace of the race. It was a cracking run for a novice against seasoned chasers and will go straight to the Brown Advisory at the Festival in March.
Rubaud picked up some handy prize money in fourth place in the Unibet Hurdle and will be happier returning to a flat, right handed track at Wincanton in the Kingwell Hurdle on February 17. I can’t wait to see him over fences next season.
Slower ground will suit Welcom To Cartries who is lightly raced, stays well and chased home Kerryhill at Doncaster. He is another who will relish going chasing.
We have plenty to run through the week before sending a team to Musselburgh on Saturday and Sunday including Liari in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle and Outlaw Peter in an £80,000 Chase. The same weekend Hermes Allen is pencilled in for the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown.
For all the latest news on my Saturday runners please be sure to turn to my Betfair column which goes live the previous day.
