Following swiftly on from bringing up a century of winners in record time this season and a Ffos Las double on Wednesday, Dan Skelton unleashed another potential star in Kabral Du Mathan at Perth.
Fourth in last season's Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, Kabral Du Mathan was sent off the 2/9 favourite for the Download The Free Racing TV App Now Beginners' Chase and barely put a foot wrong throughout the two-mile contest.
His three rivals soon became two when Jabbar unseated rider at the second fence but it was all about the six-year-old Kabral Du Mathan who won his first two starts over the smaller obstacles for the Skelton team last term before a good effort behind Home By The Lee when perhaps not quite seeing out the three miles at Cheltenham.
He was smooth over his fences from the outset in Scotland, jockey Harry Skelton safely negotiating the loose horse before easing around the home turn well clear of his pursuers.
Three more silky jumps in the straight helped him seal a 19-length win over Hold The Serve (9/2).
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus Benefits
Dan Skelton told Racing TV: "That was lovely. He's quite light on his feet and it was just lovely to watch. Obviously, it's a little bit nerve-wracking when you run one over fences first time, but it's lovely to see that. The loose horse made us nervous for a fence or two, but Harry maneuvered out the way and got him on the outside, and that was pretty perfect.
"But he's just a really high-class horse and I felt he was a Grade One horse over hurdles; just the day he ran in a Grade One hurdle, he didn't quite stay. And I was never disappointed to not have run him in the Champion Hurdle, because over hurdles he just needed that little bit of extra distance. Unfortunately, there wasn't a two and a half at Cheltenham and, in hindsight, I'd have been better off waiting for Aintree, but we had a go at that Stayers', and it proved something to us that day that we never have to try again.
"So now we feel like we are a little bit more complete in our knowledge about him and hopefully he's got a big future at this game.
"He was jogging around a little [beforehand], he was excited to be on the grass, he hasn't run since March. His schooling had been good, but you then need to go and see them be good here and better again, and learn a few things. And, ultimately, he went around by himself and probably didn't learn much about having horses around him, but at the same time, you've got to be able to go his gallop to put him under pressure, and I think he's obviously pretty good.
"So, much stiffer tasks will lie ahead of him, but it's nice to be able to go around and just have things his own way, to build the confidence."
Paddy Power reacted by cutting Kabral Du Mathan to 6/1 (from 8s) for the Arkle next spring, so is that the way his trainer is thinking?
"Yeah, 100%. He wouldn't want really bad ground," said Skelton. "Obviously, Sinnatra debuted yesterday at Ffos Las, and he'd be well at home in really soft conditions, as you saw. So this horse we will keep to better conditions.
"As long as the ground has got some soft in the description, good to soft, he will go to the Paddy Power meeting for the Graded novice chase over two miles. We'll look at Henry VIII or Boxing Day at Kempton over two miles - one of those two I'd have thought.
"Then you might not see him to the Arkle. Just with this horse, I'm very conscious that I don't want to run him in bad ground. So, if I can get some experience before the New Year, it might feel like we've done the bit we need to do before reopening for the spring.
"He will improve a lot. I haven't galloped him at all, but then he never came under pressure today, so he probably needs to step forward for a next run, but I'm hoping to not have to do too much in the immediate future, and then I want to save as much as I can for the spring, because he does look a competitor [in the Arkle]."
British Champions Day Features & Previews
- Simon Holt on expecting the unexpected at Ascot
- Podcast team weigh up Champions Sprint 'banker' Almeraq
- David Ord on why William Haggas is backing the underdog
- Ben Linfoot on the big questions heading into Ascot
- Andrew Asquith tackles Champions Day in Weekend View
- What makes Billy Loughnane stand out from the rest?
- Matt Brocklebank reveals his Champions Day shortlist
- William Haggas on his British Champions Day team
- Andrew Balding on his British Champions Day team
- Richard Brown on Wathnan's Ascot team
- Nemone Routh on the Aga Khan Stud's Ascot team
- Tom Fanshawe on Kind Of Blue's Champion Sprint claims
- Nemone Routh on the Aga Khan Stud's Ascot team
- Tom Fanshawe on Kind Of Blue's Champion Sprint claims
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
