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’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.

Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning looks to take the next step in his career over fences as he prepares to line up in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old has enjoyed a productive season so far, winning his second start over fences when beating Gaillard Du Mesnil in a Haydock graduation chase in which he was a nine-and-a-half-length scorer.

At Cheltenham in December he was second to Ginny’s Destiny in a novice event, after which he strolled to a 14-length victory in the Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick.

Grey Dawning and Ginny’s Destiny will now meet again, and Skelton expects them to go toe-to-toe.

“He’s a very good horse I feel,” the trainer said of his runner.

“I feel we are very closely matched with Ginny’s Destiny and things didn’t quite go our way when we met them at Cheltenham.

“Ginny’s Destiny is entitled to have improved since then and obviously has because he’s won again, but so have we so there is not much between the top two in the market and that’s before you include all the others.”

As mentioned by Skelton, Ginny’s Destiny went on to triumph next time out when taking the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase on return to Cheltenham – leaving him with three wins to four runs over fences on his CV.

“He loves the place and worked very, very well on Saturday morning – I’m very happy with him,” Nicholls said.

“I would say he’s in as good a shape as we’ve ever had him and he will need to be.

“Stage Star won the same race as him last year before winning this and I think Ginny’s Destiny is rated a few pounds higher than he was, so hopefully he has a good chance.

“I think the race has an open feel to it and he jumps and gallops. We’ve improved a lot since we met Dan’s horse first time.

“Hopefully he is the one who can go to the next level and we’ll give it a whirl.”

Iroko provided trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero with the biggest success of their careers so far when landing the Martin Pipe at the meeting last year and will fly the flag for the stable again.

The six-year-old was at one point expected to be out of action for the season due to injury, but his recovery happened at a quicker pace than anticipated and he returns to action at Cheltenham having last been seen winning his sole chasing start Warwick in November.

“He seems on song and everything is right with him, so we will keep our fingers crossed,” Guerriero said.

“We thought he was out for the season so to have him back is brilliant and to go to Cheltenham with him is even better.

“His course form on the New course has got to help and course form is always helpful at Cheltenham.

“His inexperience over fences isn’t ideal, but there is not a lot we can do about that and we’ve been away for a gallop and school over fences and we’ve done all we can.

“He’s been there and won a decent race in the past, so if he’s up to the task, we hope he will run really well.”

Willie Mullins has two representatives, with Facile Vega the most popular in the market after his third-placed run behind stablemate Il Etait Temps in the Irish Arkle when last seen.

Sharjah was fourth in the same race and represents the same yard under leading amateur Patrick Mullins.

Gordon Elliott’s Zanahiyr and Gavin Cromwell’s Letsbeclearaboutit complete the Irish challenge, with Venetia Williams set to run Scilly Isles runner-up Djelo and Jamie Snowden saddling Colonel Harry, who was third in the same race.

Gary Moore’s Le Patron and David Pipe’s Jamaico complete the field of 11.

Iroko has connections excited as he prepares to complete his comeback from injury in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old gave upwardly mobile training duo Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero a landmark first Festival success when claiming the Martin Pipe 12 months ago.

It seemed unlikely he would feature at this year’s showcase meeting, with an injury suffered shortly after his imperious chasing debut expected to keep him out of action for the rest of the campaign.

However, he returned to full training quicker than anticipated and will head to Prestbury Park’s New course attempting to repeat last year’s heroics in an open Turners Novices’ Chase that kicks off day three of the Festival.

“He’s absolutely fine and in good health and is all set to run – we’re looking forward to running him on the Thursday in the Turners,” said Greenall.

“He seemed to really handle the New course (in the Martin Pipe), but I think he’s pretty versatile and he would handle the Old course just as well.”

The injury sustained by Iroko earlier in the season has left his training team in a race against time to prepare their stable star for the Cheltenham Festival.

Despite failing to beat the clock in order to provide the gelding with a prep run, Iroko successfully came through an away day at nearby Haydock recently, with Greenall believing the experience he has garnered running in handicaps will stand him in good stead for his Turners assignment.

“It (possible races) just came too soon really, fitness wise, but he has been away and schooled at Haydock and we’ve done everything we can,” continued Greenall.

“I think the fact he has run in some good juvenile races and some good handicaps, he is streetwise in that sense and it will just be jumping the fences at speed he will lack experience in, I suppose.”

It could be a big afternoon for the Greenall and Guerrero partnership, as fast on the heels of Iroko, in the very next race they will saddle White Rhino in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.

A general 10-1 shot to land a knockout blow with the bookmakers, the eight-year-old brings solid course form to the table, having finished second at the November meeting before going one better over the Pertemps track and trip the following month.

He was last seen qualifying for this event by finishing third at Huntingdon and is predicted to sharpen up for that outing back in the Cotswolds.

“He will go in the Pertemps on the same day, if he gets in,” continued Greenall.

“He seems to have come on nicely since his Huntingdon run, has a nice weight and we look forward to running him.”

Paul Nicholls could not hide his excitement as Ginny’s Destiny followed in the footsteps of Stage Star and booked his ticket to the Turners Novices’ Chase with an excellent display in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase.

A useful hurdler when trained by Tom Lacey last season, he has gone from strength to strength since sent over fences by the champion trainer this term.

Attempting to replicate the exploits of Stage Star – who won this contest 12 months ago before following up at the Cheltenham Festival – Ginny’s Destiny never missed a beat as the 4-1 favourite registered a flawless two-and-three-quarter-length victory over Theatre Man.

“I was expecting that on his homework,” said Nicholls.

“He’s improved massively from run to run and I haven’t had too many improve so much over a short period since Master Minded funnily enough. Master Minded won at Sandown years ago and kept going forward and he has done the same, his work has been unbelievable. I think he’s a really smart horse.

“From his first run when he was ordinary, he had just got better and better and better and you like to see that – there’s not many horses who do that.

“The girl who rides him every day rides Pic D’Orhy every day and she puts him on a par with him. He is 162 and if he could be as good as him, we would be really happy. He obviously jumps and gallops and that is what you want.

“I honestly thought he would win today – and I know that’s being confident – but he’s a very smart horse.”

Ginny’s Destiny was cut to 9-1 with Betfair for the Turners Novices’ Chase after winning his third-straight chase at Prestbury Park and Nicholls confirmed that a return to the Cotswolds for the Festival would be his next port of call.

“He’s a very good work horse at home, he has class, he jumps and he will come back here now for the Turners,” he continued.

“He will get three miles, but I’m not going to do that until next year. He will follow the Stage Star route now and he is a bit stronger and more robust than Stage Star. You have to train him with kid gloves whereas this lad loves his work and thrives on everything you give to him and is a proper horse.

“Stage Star carried the weight last year and if they are good enough off that mark, then it doesn’t matter what weight they are carrying. He’s a massive horse and the weight was never going to worry him and Harry gave him a peach of a ride.”

Ga Law was another horse to showcase his love for Cheltenham when making a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure in the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase.

Jamie Snowden’s eight-year-old was a winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup in 2022 but has found victories hard to come by since, with a crushing fall at Doncaster on his next start knocking the wind out of his sail and halting his progression.

However, he was back to his best in the hands of Gavin Sheehan to tee-up either a shot at Kempton’s Coral Trophy Handicap Chase on February 24 or a return to Prestbury Park for the Plate in March.

Snowden said: “He won the Paddy Power in 2022 and fell in the Sky Bet Chase (at Doncaster) when coming to win his race and it has taken a long time to get him back in that kind of form really – he lost his confidence and lost his way a little bit.

“We always thought we would get him back, but that fall at Doncaster was pretty nasty and it’s taken us a year to get him back. He ran really well in the Coral Gold Cup but just didn’t stay and the drop back in trip on the New course has helped him here today.

“He’s back now and it was lovely. He jumped really well out in front and got into a lovely rhythm. I thought the New course might suit him better than the Old course as he’s a long-striding horse and Gavin has given him a lovely ride.

“We were going to go to Kempton next, but we might have to come here instead. We will enjoy today and think about the next day tomorrow.”