Grey Dawning© Photo Healy Racing
Grey Dawning continued Dan Skelton’s fabulous Cheltenham Festival with a brilliant victory in the Turners Novices’ Chase.
Paul Nicholls’ Ginny’s Destiny never missed a beat out in front as he attempted to repeat Stage Star rsquo;s victory in this race 12 months ago, but Grey Dawning was never far away in the hands of the trainer’s brother, Harry, and as they headed down hill it became clear it would be an all-British shoot-out up the famous hill.
The duo swung the bend locked in unison but having jumped two out matching strides, it was the 5-2 joint-favourite who edged to the front at the last and stayed on strongly to see Skelton oust his former Ditcheat boss and register his third triumph of the week at the showpiece meeting.
Venetia Williams’ Djelo came home in third to complete a one-two-three for the home team, with Zanahiyr the best of the Irish in fourth.
Skelton said: “He was destined to be a chaser from the start and you just want it to happen so bad, so to win a Grade One novice here is great. He’s still got a huge future to look forward to, hopefully.
“We won a Grade One novice chase (at Aintree) with Protektorat but I just feel like this horse is at least as good and potentially could be better, and that is not taking anything away from the ones we’ve had before. But time moves forward and he’s very important.
“Some people questioned coming for the race, but they can’t now! I just felt the race he ran here against Ginny’s Destiny in December was a very good race and it’s been proven so because they’ve been first and second today. Rule Britannia!”
He added: “I just thought we’re not short of speed and Fact To File did look very good in Ireland so maybe it was the sensible route (to run in this race and not Brown Advisory).
“This is the one we really wanted. He jumped great, Harry was good on him and that was exactly how we wanted the race to go. I think it speaks volumes about the horse that we didn’t need Plan B.
“This week has to be right at the very top – hopefully it’s not over yet.”
Reflecting further, he said: “I think this is as good a novice as we’ve ever had. He jumps very well, has a great brain and stays very well.
“We’ll enter at Aintree, but there’s no pressure to go. If we think we should we will and if we don’t we won’t, but I’ve never been afraid to run this horse.
“We’ll go down the Gold Cup route next year. The Betfair Chase would be a race for him and I suppose we’ll have to try him right-handed properly one day (considering the King George VI Chase).
“He does have a small preference for going left-handed, but we won’t dwell on the future, today is very important.”
The winning rider said: “It’s just magic. Thank you Cheltenham, thank you very much. These people make it special, it is unbelievable this place. He was great today, Dan got the right race, there was a long discussion about it.
“He’s very good, a very good horse. He’s so unassuming, you wouldn’t believe it. He doesn’t know how good he is, but hopefully he’s a bit special.”
Of the gallant runner-up, Nicholls said: “It was a fantastic run. He just missed the second-last and got it wrong, and that has just cost him in the end. He has run his heart out. If he had landed upsides Grey Dawning after the second-last who knows what would have happened?
“He is a good horse and I think he will get three miles in time. If he is OK we could look at going to Aintree with him.”
