Latenightpass showed the benefit of his debut second over Cheltenham’s unique cross-country course last month when he went one better in the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase.
Already a winner over the Grand National fences at Aintree having taken the 2022 Foxhunters’ Chase, the Dan Skelton-trained nine-year-old was always in a prominent position under Gina Andrews and pulled clear on the run-in to score by four lengths from Francky Du Berlais, with Fameaftertheglory third and Minella Indo fourth.
A return to Aintree now beckons for Latenightpass, who has spent much of his career on the point-to-point and hunter
chase circuit for the husband and wife team of trainer Tom Ellis and amateur rider Andrews, this time for the Grand National itself.
Skelton said: “Tom (Ellis) trains him and, throughout all this, Bridget (Skelton, Gina Andrews’ sister) has done all the work on him. It has just been my name on the licence.
“He has been a massive addition to the team. Not all of them take to it, but he did. We jumped [around here] in between races and he loved it. That gave me reason to think that he should at least back his run up. I don’t know much about the ground for him, but perhaps it suited him being a little softer.
“I’d say it is blindingly obvious [to have a go at the Grand National]. I’m not saying we should be favourite for the Grand National, but I think he more than deserves his chance. He has got experience, he stays the trip well.”
Andrews said: “He is just an unbelievable little horse. He gave me one of the best days of my career and he has given me another one today.
“That is his forte – he travels really strong which makes my life a lot easier as he knows what I want, when I want. He took to the fences so well.”
There were also plenty of positives to take from the performance of Henry de Bromhead’s Minella Indo, with the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero appearing to relish his first cross-country experience on his way to finishing fourth under top-weight of 12 stone.
“After the schooling he had done at home, we were hoping he would put in a jumping performance like that,” said his rider Rachael Blackmore.
“He had to carry a lot of weight around there, so I thought it was a really good run. He took to those fences very well and he was a very enjoyable ride around them. Henry and the Maloneys (owners) will decide if he comes back in March.”
Gesskille, trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, was sadly pulled up by Henry Brooke after suffering a fatal injury, with that trio then claiming a poignant victory in the closing handicap hurdle with 3/1 favourite White Rhino, who outbattled Bold Endeavour.
Guerriero said: “You would swap it around and not have a winner and have Gesskille back, but that is the way it is. Gesskille was a stable star and he literally put us on the map. He has been amazing. To lose him is so sad, but that is racing unfortunately.
White Rhino and Henry Brooke on their way to winning the Citipost Handicap Hurdle
“White Rhino has been brilliant for these owners. He has been a star this horse. He just keeps getting better and better and it is great for a lovely bunch of local owners.”
Brooke added: “It has been one of my hardest days in racing for a long time. We’ve lost a friend today in Gesskille and a big member of the team. It’s just a sad day all round.”
‘Very special’ Dysart Enos on track for Festival
Dysart Enos looks like having every chance of finally breaking trainer Fergal O’Brien’s Cheltenham Festival duck judged on her latest impressive victory in the opening British EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle. at Prestbury Park.
The 5/6 favourite jumped and travelled well and found plenty on the run-in to pass the post with two and three-quarter lengths clear of Beat The Bat.
“If she got beat today, of course I would have been disappointed, but it wouldn’t have been the end of the world. I wanted her to come here and see Cheltenham and get some of the atmosphere,” said O’Brien.
Dysart Enos, ridden by Paddy Brennan, jumps the last on her way to an impressive victory
Paddy Power made the winner a 4/1 joint-favourite from 6/1 for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March, which O’Brien confirmed as her main objective.
He added: “We’ll aim for the mares’ novice and she would only have one more race beforehand, if that. She is very special as we have never had anything so quick.”
Warwick next on the agenda for Destiny
Paul Nicholls will take a familiar route with Ginny’s Destiny who enhanced his reputation over fences with a game display in the Cheltenham & South West Racing Club Novices’ Chase.
Racing up with the pace throughout the extended two-and-a-half mile test the 5/2 chance was not for relenting under Harry Cobden with the pair passing the post three-quarters of a length clear from 2/1 favourite Grey Dawning, whose cause was not helped by a mistake at the penultimate fence.
An outing at Warwick on January 13 in the Hampton Novices’ Chase, which Nicholls has won four times previously, appears next on the agenda for Ginny’s Destiny.
Ginny’s Destiny, ridden by Harry Cobden, jumps the last before holding off Grey Dawning
Nicholls said: “He puts them to the sword, and he keeps galloping. He has improved so much at home, physically and mentally, and he knows where he is at now. He gallops out with his ears pricked and he pulls up with his ears pricked. He has got plenty in the tank. He will be better over three miles as well.
“I might look at the £75,000 race at Warwick on January 13 as I think three miles around Warwick would be perfect for him. He is a good horse. Ground wise, the softer it is the better for him.”
Go Dante rewards connections
Go Dante has Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle on his agenda after a tenacious victory in the Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle.
Sent off the 7/2 favourite, the Kayf Tara gelding did not let his supporters down when fighting off a host of challengers after the last before scoring by a length and a quarter from Doddiethegreat under Sean Bowen.
Go Dante, ridden by Sean Bowen, jumps the last in front in a competitive finish
Trainer Olly Murphy, whose charge was providing owner Barbara Hester with a first Cheltenham winner, said: “This has been a long time coming. I’m not surprised. He is one of those horses that every time he runs I go racing thinking that he will win.
“Something like a Betfair Hurdle is what we could look at. He has loads of ability and that was great.”
La Malmason strikes for Irish trainer Cromwell
Gavin Cromwell was back in the Cheltenham winner’s enclosure following a first success over the larger obstacles for La Malmason.
Without a win in her first three starts over fences the daughter of Walk In The Park addressed that statistic in the Cheltenham Racecourse Food Bank Collection Mares’ Handicap Chase, which the 11/4 favourite claimed by three-quarters of a length from Royale Margaux in the hands of Keith Donoghue.
La Malmason, ridden by Keith Donoghue, on her way to her first victory over fences
Cromwell said: “She is a lovely mare and she jumped well enough. I think she is progressive. She didn’t pick up as good as I thought she would, but she has won.
“I suppose she will be off a mark where she would warrant her place in some of those nice mares’ novice chase races. We will see what the handicapper does and take it from there.”
Cepage takes veterans’ honours
Venetia Williams praised the patience shown by connections of Cepage who responded well to cheekpieces to secure a first victory in almost three years in the Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase.
Restricted to just one start in each of the two previous seasons the 11-year-old, who started at 11/2, demonstrated a clear appetite for the stiff uphill finish as he powered past Le Ligerien late on before clearing away to prevail by seven lengths under Charlie Deutsch from Lord Du Mesnil.
Cepage, ridden by Charlie Deutsch (left), has now won six times over fences
Williams said: “He is still rattling around here at a rate of knots. All credit to owners [The Bellamy Partnership] for giving him the time come back from various injuries. It has taken me this long to put the cheekpieces on him, but I was keen to reserve them for a decent race.
“It is fantastic this series. There isn’t another one of these races until the middle of next month so he might come back here New Year’s Day. They went a good gallop there in that race and it was nice to see him finish as he did.”