The high-class National Hunt action continues into Sunday this weekend with quality Graded action on both sides of the Irish Sea. The return of Energumene in the Hilly Way Chase takes centre stage on the Emerald Isle, whilst the domestic action is lit up by the biggest race of the season at the Cambridgeshire track of Huntingdon.
First run in its current form in 1978, the 2m4f Peterborough Chase offers £80,000 in total prize money and has been won by a host of famous names. Three-time King George hero Wayward Lad became the first multiple-winner when landing the prize for a second time in 1983 and has since been joined by Edredon Bleu (four wins), Travado (two), Racing Demon (two), and Top Notch (two). Other luminaries on the roll of honour include Remittance Man (1992), One Man (1997), Best Mate (2002), and Al Ferof (2015).
With the final field confirmed on Friday morning, we know that one of the following five will join that illustrious list in 2024.
1. Minella Drama – 11/1 with bet365
Trainer: Donald McCain
Reaching a mark of 145 over hurdles, Minella Drama narrowly missed out on a Graded success when beaten just a neck in the Grade 2 Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle. Since tackling fences, he is zero from three in Grade 1 events but boasts form figures of 142231 at this Grade 2 level. Posting an excellent effort to see off Hitman, Ahoy Senor, and Stage Star on his comeback in a Limited handicap at Aintree, he arrives at the top of his game and should cope with soft ground if the forecast rain arrives. However, he received weight in that Aintree run and must concede weight to all bar Protektorat here.
2. Protektorat – 11/8 with bet365
Trainer: Dan Skelton
Successful three times in Grade 1 company, including the 2024 edition of the Ryanair Chase, this Dan Skelton nine-year-old is the established class act in the field. His record over this trip on good to soft or worse going reads 12113. Rounding off 2023/24 with a solid third behind Jonbon and Conflated in the Grade 1 Melling Chase, he posted a decent effort to finish sixth under top weight in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on his seasonal return. With 6lb and more in hand under these conditions, he’s the one to beat.
3. Djelo – 4/1 with bet365
Trainer: Venetia Williams
Having sent out the runner-up twice in the past decade, Venetia Williams will hope to go one better with the youngster in the lineup. Djelo boasts a similar profile to Minella Drama – zero from three in Grade 1 company but successful at Grade 2 level. He ran well to finish second in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter but needs to prove he stays this far, having come up short in four of five previous runs at 2m3f+.
4. Nickle Back – 10/1 with bet365
Trainer: Sarah Humphrey
Having shown little over hurdles, this eight-year-old enjoyed an outstanding debut season over fences. Kicking off with 24l and 19l wins at Warwick and Stratford, he finished a solid second in Grade 2 events at Newbury and Sandown before seeing off Djelo by 7l in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase. His form fell off a cliff in two subsequent outings in April, but he may have been feeling the effects of a long season. He's an intriguing contender, but his peak efforts have come on good ground.
5. Ginny’s Destiny– 5/2 with bet365
Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Joining Nicholls from Tom Lacey in October 2023, Ginny’s Destiny enjoyed a blistering debut season over fences. Beaten 29l on his yard debut, few could have predicted that he would win each of his next three starts and end the season with runner-up efforts in Grade 1 company. A repeat of his second in the Turners Novices’ Chase would see him go close, but he needs to bounce back from a pulled-up effort in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The Verdict
Protektorat is the class act in the field but may be worth taking at a track which may not play to his strengths – only one from five at right-handed tracks such as this. In addition, he’s a strong stayer at this trip but may struggle to bring his stamina into play in such a small field scenario.
Nickle Back, Minella Drama, and Ginny’s Destiny should take this field along for much of the way, and with only the suspect stayer Djelo and Protektorat in behind, the Paul Nicholls runner is much preferred to stay on best to the line. Given how much he improved from his first run to his second last season, we are happy to ignore his comeback outing, and he can get back in the groove to pick up a first Graded success.
Recommended Bet: Ginny’s Destiny @ 5/2 with bet365
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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