3m6f Sam Vestey National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (Class 1)
It’s easy to forget that NEXT DESTINATION was once handled by Willie Mullins. Willie doesn’t let go of too many good ones, especially not a dual Grade 1 winning hurdler. But Next Destination clearly has had some injury problems and has required a lot of patience to get him back.
Picked up by Paul Nicholls a few years’ ago, he waited 920 days to get this horse back on the track. The venue was Wetherby, and a Grade 2 no-less, finishing second behind the former Mares Hurdle winner, Roksana. A horse that has been competing at the very highest level in the long-distance hurdling division this campaign and he wasn’t far behind when given an easy race.
Next Destination always looked like he would make up into a classy chaser and his jumping looked slick on his first attempt over the larger obstacles back in November, beating a decent novice in One For The Team (who runs earlier in the Ultima).
Next Destination’s second and only other chase start saw him claim a well-fought victory in another Grade 2 event outstaying Fiddlerontheroof.
Next Destination has since been put away for the Cheltenham meeting.
It looked more likely than not that he would line-up to compete with Monkfish in the RSA, but with Royal Pagaille defecting to the Gold Cup, the National Hunt Chase looks much more getable for connections despite his obvious level of chasing inexperience.
However, Next Destination really looks like he wants a stamina-sapping trip, he will get that here over 3m 6f with his jumping acting as a real asset for him against this field. He is already the highest-rated chaser in this with technically the least chasing experience.
His fourth in the Champion Bumper in 2017 followed by a staying on third in the 2018 Ballymore shows that he likes it round Cheltenham and dropping into this Grade 2 means he could have too much class for this lot.
Galvin and Escaria Ten both present strong dangers for Denise Foster, while it would be no suprise to see Remastered run well if he handles the faster ground.
1pt win Next Destination @4/1, 16:50 Cheltenham, Tuesday (Betfred)
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