Cheltenham review and free video replays from day one of Showcase Meeting

Double delight for Skelton team

Dan Skelton intends to work back from the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with Fortune De Mer, who secured his biggest success to date with a last gasp victory in the Oddschecker Novices’ Hurdle.

After winning the Grade Two prize 12 months ago with the late Valgrand the Shelfield Green handler repeated the trick with the talented, but quirky son of Doyen, who went two places better than on his hurdles debut at Uttoxeter earlier this month.

Fitted with a first time hood, the 14/1 chance was smuggled away amongst rivals for much of the extended two mile test before being delivered with a late run by Harry Skelton turning for home.

All eyes before the race were focussed on favourite, and recent Market Rasen scorer Un Sens A La Vie, however as he appeared beaten as the field hurtled towards the last, Skelton still sat with a double handful.

Despite having several rivals to get past up the run in the Stephen Bough-owned gelding showed the best of his battling qualities when getting the better of a pulsating finish with hurdles debutant Doctor Blue by a short-head.

The winning trainer said: “It wasn’t such a good run at Uttoxeter the other day, but I hadn’t done much with him, and he has obviously stepped forward a great deal. No doubt the hood has made a difference. He is a funny character. I thought for a minute we weren’t going to be able to run him as he wouldn’t leave the stable block. He is just quirky.

“We took the hood off him to get him out of the stable block, then put it back on. He is full of talent, but just a quirky horse. He is not easy, but Harry gave him a cool ride there, and the more traffic the better.

“Bless poor Valgrand, who is not with us anymore, as he did it from the front, and he did it with a slightly different approach to life. With this one you have got to be in front for a stride. They are two very different horses, and they are both very talented. Hopefully, this one can go on and fulfill his career.

“I will be aiming him at the County Hurdle as there is no doubt that is his race. "This track suits him, and when they go a real strong pace that is what he needs. "We need five runs, but I will get him there with great skill and guise.”

Although Doctor Blue had to settle for second best his trainer Sam Thomas was still pleased with his effort in defeat.

Thomas said: “It was a mega run. Like I said to the boss (Dai Walters, owner) we either came here or lined up in a full field in maiden or novice hurdle so we thought we would come here and roll the dice.

“He has always worked with good horses at home and Lump Sum is his work partner, but that means nothing until they prove themselves on the racecourse. "Please to God he stays in one piece as he is one to look forward to.”

Calico defends crown with sparkling display

The Skeltons doubled up when Calico produced what the trainer felt was his "best ever performance" to win the squareintheair.com Handicap Chase.

The Soldier Hollow gelding followed up his victory in the £100,000 feature from 12 months ago with a fine performance from the front under Harry to bolster his solid record at the track.

Serving it up to old rival Matata from an early stage in the two mile prize, the 5/1 chance attacked every fence with plenty of zest to leave many of his rivals in trouble long before the finish.

Needing two good jumps over the last two fences to see off favourite Jasko Des Dames, the John Reilly-owned gelding responded to those calls, before continuing to find plenty up the run in to score by seven lengths.

The trainer said said: “If you watch it back last year he was up there the whole way, but Matata just took us on a few times. We had him ready for this don’t make any mistakes. I would say that is his best ever performance. He has been a great horse for us. He is nine-year-old and we will do everything we can to get him back as a ten-year-old. He loves this race and he loves this time of year.

“I said beforehand that a few of ours have been needing the run, but he was never going to need the run as we had him ready for today as we knew how important it was. Those older horses are a little more robust and you can get into them a bit when they are a bit older.

“It is great for John (Reilly) who has owned him since a three-year-old. He has been a top little horse for us. He will be back here for the Shloer Chase, and why not, as the handicapper will give him seven pounds and put him on a mark he won’t be able to win off. We might as well have a go at that."

Dream success for Keighleys

Freddie Keighley lived out a childhood dream after securing his first Cheltenham success under rules with a hard fought victory aboard De Temps En Temps in the Champions: Full Gallop Streaming On ITVX Novices’ Hurdle.

Having been out of luck for his boss Paul Nicholls earlier on the card aboard Zaochen Enki, the 17-year-old made no mistake when teaming up with his dad, and trainer, Martin to steer the Court Cave gelding to a tenacious success.

Although able to celebrate wildly back in the winners' enclosure Keighley’s chances of victory appeared to have gone after the 22/1 chance made a bad mistake at the second last which allowed the pursuing pack to close in.

However, the last-time out Uttoxeter winner refused to give in and as the field headed down to the last he was still pitching in there under a determined ride.

Once again, victory looked to have eluded Keighley as the James Owen-trained Percy Shelley forged on past him under Sean Bowen up the run-in, but with one last effort De Temps En Temps rallied back in the dying strides to get back up and score by a neck.

The winning rider said: “It is amazing as that has been my dream my whole childhood really was to get a winner at Cheltenham. I didn’t think I would get it this early on in my career, but he was very gutsy today. We thought he was a massive price to be fair.

“He is so versatile as he is quick enough for two miles, but he stays three miles. He is probably the sort of horse you want around Cheltenham as he travels and jumps, and then stays so well up the hill. I thought that was my race over when he made that mistake as everyone had come up my inside. It was not great, but he stayed on well up to the line. It was brilliant.

“I half dropped my reins as well, but I was trying to get every bit out of him. It was so good to get his head in front.”

And the moment was not lost on the triumphant trainer, who hailed his own celebrations as the ‘maddest’ he's ever produced.

Martin added: “It was a tough call to put him on as he couldn’t claim as you can’t claim in Class Two novice hurdles, but he didn’t need his claim. It was a special win. He has had lots of winners here (pony racing), but that was probably the best. He loves it at Paul Nicholls, and he is giving him plenty of chances, but he has given that a cracking ride.

“He shouldn’t have been that price as I thought it was good form last time and he has used his experience today, and he put it up to them. Without that mistake he would have won a bit easier. His race looked over then, but it was a tough performance. It was probably the maddest I’ve gone after a win. There was lots of support today and everyone loves a local winner.”

And equally jubilant was Freddie’s mum Belinda, who like Martin, was doubly proud following the outcome of the two-and-a-half mile test, with De Temps En Temps, led in by the winning rider’s brother Harry.

She said: “I have to be silent until they have won and I didn’t know he had won until he crossed the line. As noisy as I am, I can't dare to dream! To beat Sean (Bowen in a finish) is mental. It is so special as they are lovely owners. For him to ride a winner here for us just means everything. I’m so proud and to make me cry again my other son Harry led him up and that is his first Cheltenham winner.”

O'Brien heaps praise on Broughton

Fergal O’Brien heaped plenty of praise on Tom Broughton after he delivered diminutive mare Leloopa with a perfectly timed run to land the Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle.

The daughter of Wings Of Eagles showed the benefit of undergoing a recent wind operation when returning to winning ways in the extended two-mile test to hand Broughton his third winner from his last 10 rides at the course.

Sweeping around the field entering the home straight, the 14/1 chance, who finished third on her most recent outing at Newton Abbot, joined King William Rufus, a winner on the New course at the track back in April, on jumping the last.

After meeting the final flight on a good stride, the Paddy Brennan Racing Syndicate-owned mare, quickly put daylight between herself and her rivals before scoring by four and three quarter lengths much to the delight of the Grade One winning handler.

O’Brien said: “She has been an amazing buy by Paddy. This mare is unbelievable as she is a pony. It is great for Tom Broughton, who rides her at home. She is not easy at home, and you need to know her. Everyone does a great job with her at home because you have to dance to her tune a little bit. I’m just delighted for Paddy, and his syndicate, and Tom, who works incredibly hard.

“He is starting to get a bit better at padel, and if he beats me eventually, he might not have the ride on her! It was a big thing keeping the tongue tie on as it clearly helps her.". She is such a tough little mare.

"Paddy went to the start, just to be with her as you have to dance to dance to her tune a bit. Paddy buys them very well, but he doesn’t pay a fortune. He lets us get on with it, which is half of the battle.”

Hobbs strikes in Cheltenham opener

French Ship atoned for his mishap on his return at Cheltenham when gaining compensation with a smart success in the William Hill Each way Extra Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The gelded son of French Navy, who was one of two runners in the race for Philip Hobbs and Johnson White alongside Saint Anapolino, made light work of his mark of 128 when pulling clear late on to register a third win over hurdles in the two and a half mile test.

Sitting just in behind the pace, which for much of the race was cut out by The Expensive One, the 6/1 chance, who unseated at Chepstow last time out, swept to the front between the final two flights under a confident looking Ben Jones.

After meeting the last on a good stride the progressive five-year-old then appeared slightly green up the run in, however those antics failed to stop French Ship from passing the post three and three quarter lengths clear of Navajo Indy.

Hobbs said: “At Chepstow he was still going well, but it was a long way from home, but he has won well today. He was a bit green on the run in, but other than that, he was good.

“Although there were lots of runners they soon got strung out so there was always going to be plenty of room for him and it ended up being very good.

“He definitely did (have some useful novice hurdle form) and he is only five so there is room for progression. It is great to be back here and that was a nice start.

“He is only rated one hundred and twenty-eight at the moment so he has a long way to go to progress out of handicaps and only time will tell if he does.”

Alnilam impresses under Bowen

Alnilam could have his ability tested against Grade One opposition on his next start after putting in a near flawless round of jumping to maintain his unbeaten record over fences in the Holland Cooper ‘Chasing Excellence’ Novices’ Chase.

Arriving on the back of a front running success at Uttoxeter 19-days ago the gelded son of Sea The Stars added to that victory under similar tactics in the two mile prize to keep up the recent hot-streak enjoyed by trainer Olly Murphy and jockey Sean Bowen.

After setting much of the early fractions alongside Centara the 9/4 joint-favourite moved into a clear lead he would all the way to the line jumping the third last.

It looked as though his old rival from Uttoxeter, and fellow joint-favourite, Country Mile, was set to throw down a serious challenge turning for home, however he blundered away his chances at the second last.

That left Relieved Of Duties, one of two Gordon Elliott-trained runners in the race, to chase home Alnilam, however he could not quite on terms with four and a half lengths separating the pair at the line.

Murphy said: “He is a good horse. He loves getting on with it. I can’t believe how well he jumps a fence as he didn’t jump a hurdle well. He has got a fair engine. "He had them all in trouble at the top of the hill and that is very unusual. It was brilliant.

“I winced at Uttoxeter three weeks ago as I wasn’t so sure this was the right thing, but he likes it (chasing). It was a good performance as he had a penalty as well. He had Sean Bowen on his back, and you wouldn’t doubt him too many times. I’m really happy.”

And following the win Murphy hinted that the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park on December 6th could be next on the agenda for Alnilam.

He added: “I will speak to Sean, but we might go straight to Sandown Park for a Grade One.

“I actually think he will be a better horse on slower ground. If you get in a good rhythm around there you can be hard to peg back. He is a tough horse and there are very few Sea The Stars you would see do that.”

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