Festival Trials Day

THE STAGE IS SET

Excitement, anticipation and expectation is building. It is the final opportunity to see the sports protagonists go out to battle on Cheltenham Racecourse’s hallowed turf before the Cheltenham Festival. What horses will catch the eye before those four days of extraordinary in March, will we see returning champions defending their crown? Whilst anything can happen in March, Festival Trials day maybe able to give us a clearer picture.

With a now seven-race card, where every race is a trial for a race at the Cheltenham Festival, it doesn’t get much more exciting, unless it is the Festival itself. The excitement isn’t restricted to the track, with fantastic entertainment during the day and The Wickermen performing live music after racing, it is a seamless prelude to the Cheltenham Festival.

Sir Gino put in a massive performance winning the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Hurdle trial, for Nicky Henderson, James Bowen and Mrs J Donnelly. He showed a spine-tingling turn of foot winning by an impressive 10 lengths. There is a very exciting future ahead, for Nicky Henderson’s French recruit.

Ginny’s Destiny recorded his third win of the season at the Home of Jump Racing, when landing the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase, for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden.

The Paddy Power Cotswold Chase went the way of the iconic Green and Gold colours of JP McManus as the Willie Mullins trained Capodanno landed the spoils under Irish Champion Jockey Paul Townend.

For the second consecutive year Cheltenham played host to the Grade 1 My Pension Expert Clarence House Chase. Leading contender and fan favourite Jonbon achieved a surprise second place, with outsider Elix De Nutz getting his head in front on the line under young Freddie Gingell for his uncle, trainer Joe Tizzard.

The Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle saw a blistering performance from wonder-mare Lossiemouth, this win provoked much debate as to whether she would line up in the Unibet Champion Hurdle or the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. She went the way of the Mares hurdle and returned triumphant once again at Cheltenham.

Randox Grand National hero Noble Yeats, reverted back to hurdles to win the Grade 1 Cleve Hurdle, beating the legend Paisley Park by a head, providing the most exciting and nail biting finish of the afternoon.