The Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase run on Trials Day at Cheltenham has a rich history for throwing up future Festival winners. Ginny’s Destiny was the latest to add his name to the illustrious roll of honour, but can he follow up in March?
In short, he’s got a right chance.
Paul Nicholls was keen to compare this year’s winner to his own Stage Star, the hero of 2023, immediately after he beat Grey Dawning at Cheltenham in December, and it’s easy to see why.
His jumping is superb, he travels strongly on the front end, finds plenty up the hill and will now follow the Stage Star route and head to the Turners to take on the might of Ireland.
Nicholls told Racing TV in the aftermath: "He's a proper horse and I just cannot explain to anyone how much he's improved from run to run to run. 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.”
A certain Gaelic Warrior probably lays in wait there. He’s clearly got a serious engine and has been wildly impressive on his two starts over fences so far, but the one chink in his armour is his tendency to jump right - his two career defeats since joining Willie Mullins have come at the left-handed Cheltenham.
That’s an area three-time course winner Ginny’s Destiny clearly excels in and it’s not hard to see him hugging the rail under Harry Cobden and making ground at every fence as the Irish raider adjusts to his right.
"He's every bit as good as Stage Star” said a bullish-as-ever Nicholls post-race. The 157 provisional Timeform rating for Ginny’s Destiny is almost on par with what Stage Star achieved in this race last year and right up there with the best of the novice chasers on both sides of the Irish sea so far this season (Gaelic Warrior has a master rating of 158p).
Stage Star beat 4/6 favourite Mighty Potter in the Turners after carrying top-weight to victory in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase last year, and Ginny’s Destiny looks sure to put up a bold bid in emulating his stablemate in downing an Irish hot-pot in March.
It’s not just the winners of this race who go on to achieve great things – this year’s Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino (who sadly suffered a fatal injury on Saturday) chased home Stage Star last year – and there was plenty to like about Theatre Man’s effort in second.
Dropped in trip here, he jumped off prominent but was outpaced as they quickened down the hill, jumping the last still in fifth place before powering home. A step back up in trip looks on the cards and he’d be high on the shortlist for the Ultima back here in March.
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