Aintree Manifesto Chase tips: Ginny’s Destiny can turn tables on Grey Dawning in Festival opener

13:45 - Close Brothers Manifesto Novices’ Chase (2 miles 4 furlongs)

There might only be six scheduled starters for this Grade 1 opener, but this rematch between Grey Dawning and Ginny’s Destiny could get the Festival off to a cracking start.

Dan Skelton saddled the winner of this renewal with Protektorat in 2021, and he has a great chance of adding another to his CV if Grey Dawning can recapture the form that landed her the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival a month ago.

Planet Sport Bet: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if the favourite (inc. joint) wins, get a £5 Free Bet!

Expertly ridden by Harry Skelton, they never allowed the front-running Ginny’s Destiny to get too far ahead, and reeled in the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding a couple of fences out before easing to a comfortable two-length win, with Djelo eight lengths further adrift.

They will again need to be wary of the bold jumping style of Ginny’s Destiny, who has been in cracking form this season, completing a hat-trick of Cheltenham successes between November and January coming up just short in that Festival outing.

Regular jockey Harry Cobden insists in his PlanetSportBet blog that the Paul Nicholls-trained eight-year-old has come out of his Cheltenham exertions looking better than ever and could well be in prime shape to turn the tables on Grey Dawning here.

WATCH: Harry Cobden assesses his four rides on day one of the Grand National meeting

 

The expected heavy going could lessen the effectiveness of the Ginny’s Destiny’s bold front-running style, but at the same time these runners will get first use of Aintree’s virgin turf, so if any race could support such a tactic then this is likely to be it, as Cobden should be able to navigate his way around the best route from his likely leading position.

Suggested bet: Ginny’s Destiny in the 13:45 at Aintree

• Tip advised by Little Horses on Tipstrr

Of the others, the outsider odds of Blow Your Wad and Colonel Harry might attract the attention of some each-way optimists, but realistically only Il Etait Temps looks a serious threat, with the Willie Mullins/Paul Townend partnership looking to pick up at Aintree where they left off at Cheltenham.

The six-year-old squeaked home to land the Irish Arkle in February, and while no match for his stablemate Gaelic Warrior (ridden by Townend) in the Cheltenham version, this step back up in trip should enhance his chances if he can eliminate the jumping errors he made around Prestbury Park

Manifesto Novices’ Chase last 5 winners

• 2023 Banbridge 2/1
• 2022 Millers Bank 7/1 
• 2021 Protektorat 17/2
• 2019 Kalashnikov 4/1 
• 2018 Finians Oscar 5/2

 

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