'The plan has always been to target this race' - top trainers have their say on a riveting Paddy Power Gold Cup

Ginny’s Destiny has been on the radar of many punters for this race since his two performances in non-handicap company at Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring, and what’s not to like about a seriously progressive second-season chaser, trained by Paul Nicholls, who boasts placed form in Grade 1 novice chases?

Missing an intended prep run when Newton Abbot was abandoned this autumn wasn’t ideal, but his trainer is happy Ginny’s Destiny is in the best possible shape he can get him for his reappearance.

Nicholls said: “He likes the course. He ran extremely well in defeat in the Turners after winning his handicaps and he seems well. My only reservation is he needed his first run last year, but I can’t do any more. His prep race at Newton Abbot was cancelled, but we’ve given him an away day. The plan has always been to target this race.”

Nicholls, who landed the Paddy Power with Stage Star 12 months ago, has a live second-string to his bow in Il Ridoto.

“He likes the track and finished third in this race last year,” Nicholls said. “He’s had a run – unlike Ginny’s Destiny – and has improved for it, like most of our horses have been doing this year.”

Ga Law has 'great chance'

Ga Law (green and blue) beats French Dynamite to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup two years agoCredit: Edward Whitaker

Jamie Snowden believes 2022 winner Ga Law has a “great chance” of landing this famous handicap for a second time.

The eight-year-old stayed on strongly up the hill to gain a last-gasp three-quarters-of-a-length success over French Dynamite two years ago, and his trainer feels he is ready to explode once again.

“He won the race off 142 and is now 155,” Snowden said. “But he landed a decent handicap chase on Cheltenham Trials day off 150 and is only eight. I think he's improving all the time.”

Ga Law looks to have been meticulously laid out for the race, and pleased connections with his Chepstow reappearance second last month when far from fully tuned up.

“It was a good comeback run,” Snowden added. “He was only 85 to 90 per cent fit at Chepstow and has improved since. He goes there with a great chance.”

What they say

Dan Skelton, trainer of Protektorat and Madara
Protektorat carries top weight but he's a multiple Grade 1 horse coming into a handicap so he was always going to carry plenty of weight. We're really happy with him, he looks great and has done loads of work. It will be nice to get him out. Madara is new to us and this will tell us a lot about him, but I think he will step forward from this.

Gary Moore, joint-trainer of Editeur Du Gite
It’s his first time off a sensible mark in a handicap for a long, long while. I hope he has a reasonable chance. He shows at home that he still has lots of ability.

Richard Hobson, trainer of Fugitif
He’s fresh and well. He had two hard races last season and they probably took their toll in the latter part of the campaign. He’s only 1lb higher than when winning at Cheltenham last December, and I hope this is the time to catch him after his wind op. He does go well fresh. I think it was a breathing issue that was making him drop out in his races, and hopefully he’s back on track now.

Harry Derham, trainer of Imagine
I’m very happy with him. We’ve had him for some time now and have got to know him. He’s enjoyed a good preparation and goes there in good nick. I’m very hopeful. He has the right type of profile for the race and his form reads well. He’s unexposed and generally that sort of horse tends to win the Paddy Power.

Ryan Potter, trainer of Jetoile
I’d be delighted if he could finish in the first four or five. It’s a very hot race. He has a nice low weight, and we’ve booked Dylan Johnston who can take off 3lb. He has form on good ground.

Harry Fry, trainer of In Excelsis Deo
I’d put a line through his Galway run. He has good course form from last season and hopefully can be competitive again.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Hartur D'Arc
He should be fine on the ground and he was very good in the Leinster National last season, but I'm not sure he stayed the trip in the Irish National. He's not slow so the step back in trip should be fine.

Sheila Lewis, trainer of Straw Fan Jack
He runs well fresh and was only beaten a length and a half in the Plate in March. Ideally, he might want a bit further, but he's in good order. I don’t think he should be a 33-1 chance. Once a year he'll run a fantastic race so let’s hope it’s the Paddy Power. He does seem best in the autumn and spring.

Christian Williams, trainer of Weveallbeencaught
It's a competitive race but he ran well at the track last time. That might have been a nice stepping stone and he'll handle the ground.

Read Saturday's previews:

'This was always the target' - L'Eau Du Sud looks to back up emphatic chasing debut success in Arkle Trial  

Can Doyen Quest reach even greater heights over a new trip?  

Is Hamsiyann a handicap blot or will he be blown away now that he's back over hurdles?  

Can anyone stop Bleu De Vassy in Grade 3 For Auction after Fairyhouse demolition job?  

'He's in great order' - Bob Olinger back to try to repeat his victory of last year under new pilot Darragh O'Keeffe  

Can Champion Chase hero Captain Guinness make another winning return in the Fortria?  

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