New Destiny shattered the track record at Romford, delivering a stunning performance to win the Coral Coronation Cup Final on Friday. This victory marks the fifth win in this event for champion trainer Mark Wallis.
Owned by the MWD Partnership, the October 2021 daughter of Grangeview Ten quickly established her dominance. After breaking well from the traps, New Destiny railed into a clear lead off the second turn. From there, it was a race against the clock for the 5-6 favourite.
New Destiny left her competitors far behind, winning by an impressive ten lengths. She completed the 575m race in a record-breaking 34.53 seconds, surpassing the previous best set by Hollow Man.
This triumph continues Wallis’s legacy in the Coronation Cup, adding New Destiny’s name to a list of his previous winners: Reel Trickyone (2014), Roswell Romanov (2017), Antigua Rum (2020), and Antigua Sugar (2023).
Nathan Hunt’s Cooladerry Dust finished second after initially breaking well alongside Tromora Rex (John Mullins). However, the pair collided at the turn, allowing New Destiny to surge ahead. Cooladerry Dust managed to rally and secure second place, with kennelmate Untold Paanga finishing third.
New Destiny’s journey to this victory has been a testament to patience and perseverance. Last July, she started as a favourite in the Juvenile Classic Final at Towcester, which was won by Droopys Clue. Since then, she has frequently been at the top or near the top of the ante-post betting for major events like the Bet365 Challenge, the Golden Jacket, and the Three Steps, without making another final.
However, New Destiny demonstrated her growth and maturity by coming from behind in the Coronation Cup semi-finals and showing remarkable determination to seize the inside run in Friday’s final. Her winning time was just one spot inside Hollow Man’s previous record for the 575m course. Her racing weight had been gradually trimmed by 0.7 kilos over the last month, reaching what appears to be her ideal weight.
Despite the fast track conditions—evident as Druids Say Go recorded 23.48 on the same card—New Destiny set the new track record following a sectional almost two lengths slower than her first-round win (13.36/13.51).
Mike Davis of the MWD Partnership commented, “I think Untold Paanga made the race for us by moving slightly to the middle on the run-up, but we were delighted with how she ran. Interestingly, her half-sister Coonough Crow also struggled for consistency early in her career but improved with age.
“Our plan now is to enter her in the bitch’s competition at Towcester, concluding on Derby Final night. We’ve considered Hove as an option, but the Sussex Cup's 515m and the Regency's 695m are not ideal distances for her. However, the Stayers Classic over 630m at Monmore in August looks just about perfect.”