Rest of Cheltenham reports and free video replays on day three of November Meeting

Soldier battles to victory

Soldier Reeves continued trainer Dan Skelton’s fine run of form at the November Meeting at Cheltenham after marching to glory in the mallardjewellers.com Maiden Hurdle .

One of three entries in the race at the five-day stage for Skelton the gelded son of Soldier Of Fortune was selected to fly the flag for the Shelfield Green handler come declarations.

And the decision proved to be the correct one with the Des Grech-owned four-year-old bettering his third in a bumper on his debut under rules at Newton Abbot with a ready win.

Plenty of attention pre-race was as to how last year’s Betfred Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly, who ended up cutting out much of the running, would fare on his hurdles debut.

Although the James Owen-trained Gleneagles gelding, who eventually finished fourth, proved keen out in front early doors he soon settled into a good rhythm to open up a sizable advantage.

However, as the field turned for home his lead was quickly reduced as recent Fontwell second Gaelic Pride and Bespoke Tailor moved off in hot pursuit.

As that pair moved on at the last it looked like victory was going to head the way of those two, but after galvanising his mount Harry Skelton forged the 14/1 chance between that sparing pair ahead of claiming victory by half a length.

Skelton said: “He is a nice horse. He ran in a bumper at Newton Abbot about three weeks ago. He couldn’t have got in more traffic as he went via Torquay that day. It was a slow run race and it was a bit frustrating. He is a very keen horse and you have to drop him in and that really didn’t suit him in his bumper when they went no speed. Today Ambiente Friendly went a good gallop and as the others had to chase down the hill it worked out perfectly for us.

“He will be a progressive horse as he is four-years-old. I’m not surprised he has won, but at the same time I didn’t necessarily think he would win so it is a nice start.

“He was way too keen in bumpers and if you ran him in bumpers much longer he was going to learn to over race. Even the last there he overjumped. He has got a lot to learn, but he has a big engine and we will stick at two miles as long as we dare.

“I want to teach him to race properly, as to turn him into a long term horse he will have to race smoother than he has done today as he was too keen early. I think we will take baby steps. We will see how soft it gets, but when you get into the spring time the Premier Hurdle at Kelso or something like that might be ideal.”

And while there was no winning debut over hurdles for Ambiente Friendly, Newmarket handler Owen was pleased with his effort in defeat.

Owen said: “He jumped lovely and hurdles backed him off. He was keen for the first couple of furlongs but he then settled nicely. The ground has probably got him in the end, but it is the first time he has really finished a race for me. He will build on that.

“He wants a flat track, but it looks like he has enjoyed himself there. It was a positive run. We were brave to do it and it could have gone wrong. It is a nice place to settle one here and he proved he can do it. He has run well.”

Agony and ecstasy

Anthony Honeyball suffered both agony and ecstasy after Kdeux Saint Fray opened his account over fences at the second time of asking in the Bottlegreen Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

However, the outcome to the two and a half mile test could have been different had stablemate, and 11/4 favourite, Jordans Cross not taken a crashing fall at the last under Ben Godfrey went just about to throw down his challenge.

While it was not to be for Jordans Cross the Mosterton handler was pleased to see Kdeux Saint Fray get his head in front after falling at the track on his previous start.

Despite holding the advantage following the final fence antics involving his stablemate the 13/2 chance still had to be kept up to his work to see off Kim Roque, who also pecked on landing at the last, by three lengths.

Honeyball said: “It could have been tough either way, but I would have rather had the problem of finishing first and second. I think Jordans Cross would have been bang there with the winner coming home. You don’t want to happen to either of them, but Kdeux Saint Fray had a nasty little fall here last time so it is quite nice he didn’t have that happen to him. He has had a really good experience and he has jumped great today.

“There were a few he was a little bit to the left here and there, and a few he dived at here and there, but basically he jumped like we thought he could today. He really enjoyed himself and handled the ground. He is a nice horse going forward.

“It is hard to get recent memories out of your mind and seeing what Jordans Cross do what he did (at Aintree) and the fact we have just ticked him over since Aintree where he zoomed through and the way he did that I thought he would be better over two and a half miles. But I was a bit worried about him over two and a half miles and on the ground. He probably didn’t love the ground as much as he was a bit more on and off it, but when he needed to be on it he came through.

“Ben (Godfrey) probably wasn’t going well enough to wheel around the outside, so he kept down the inner. He jumped the last landing on the worst of the ground, but at the same time he jumped it well. He actually jumped the last better than the winner.

“They are lovely young horses that are both five-year-olds.”

As regards Jordans Cross, Honeyball insisted that he felt the Berkshire gelding seemed fine after his tumble.

He added: “He seems fine. Whether he has got a few nicks, we will see what they say. He just crumpled at the last and he could have easily caught himself doing that so we will see.”

Profit in Trade

Triple Trade had a little bit of help from the skies above as history repeated itself in the Hine Solicitors Talking Sense Handicap Chase.

Having claimed the two mile test back in 2023 the Joe Tizzard-trained nine-year-old repeated the trick when coming with a well-timed late run under Brendan Powell.

As early leader Calgary Tiger gave way entering the later stages of the race plenty looked to still fancy their chances with little to cover the leading protagonists.

On the run to the last Glengouly and Battle Of Ridgeway looked set to slug it out after holding sway out in front, however the complexion of the race changed after the final fence with that pair joined by the eventual winner and Torneo.

But, it was Triple Trade who was to emerge victorious with Powell charting a winning path closest to the running rail to defeat Torneo by a neck.

Tizzard said of the 7/1 winner: “Last season he had a sinus problem and it took us a while to get to the bottom of it, but with a bit of pain we have dropped down to a lovely weight again. We felt he was in good form. It was his first run of the season and this ground was going to ask a question, but a fast run two miles really suits him.

“He won this race two years ago and it was a super ride by Brendan as he does bugger all in front to be honest with you.

“We lost John Reed, who owned part of him, in the summer and he was a really big supporter of the yard so that was a nice touch. He had five horses with us and he was involved in lots of little syndicates. He was a lovely local man. That is a special winner for him and I’m sure it will be emotional for the other two lads that own him.”

And following the race Triple Trade was introduced at 33/1 for the Grand Annual back at the Cheltenham Festival by Paddy Power, however Tizzard admitted he might look at going back up in trip with the Norse Dancer gelding.

He added: “He gets two and a half miles and he turns ten in the new year so we have got the veterans’ chase options after that as well.”

Sands gets up in time

Marble Sands (7/1) stayed on best of all to land the Oddschecker Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap).

Trained by David Killahena & Graeme McPherson, the dashing grey was held up towards the rear in a strongly-run race as Protektorat and Tanganyika took the field along at a very honest pace.

Having crept into the race steadily under Kielan Woods, the winner continued to make headway coming down the hill as Beauport attempted to skip clear of Protektorat and Tanganyika two out.

However, there was no escaping the clutches of Marble Sands who rounded the field turning for home, cleared the last in-front, and fended off the late challenge of Fascile Mode who also came from a long way back.

Admirable top-weight Protektorat – who was giving plenty of weight to his rivals – was third ahead of Beauport.

Killahena said: “Fair play to the lad that rides him out every day as he has done a fantastic job with him. All the staff are doing a great job.

“We have had a slow start to the season and that just makes it even better. We did have a bit of a question mark about his stamina, but we didn’t need to worry about it in the end.

“I was happy enough with the way he was going. Turning in Kielan has given him a great ride. I’m just delighted.

“This is our first winner at Cheltenham [as a training partnership]. Everything we have run at Cheltenham hasn’t been out of the first four since we have started training together.

“This is great for David and Jackie [Adams, owners] as they are massive supporters of ours. They have been dying for a Cheltenham winner for so long. We will be looking at all the long distance chases with him now and we will go from there.

“It [having a winner at Cheltenham] is unreal. We will get him back and see how he is but we were thinking about the Rehearsal Chase, but it depends how he comes out of today.”

Dan Skelton said of Protektorat: “I always knew someone was going to get him with less weight. It wasn’t all about winning today. I knew he would be placed as he has got that class, but I’m just so proud of him.

“I just needed to get him out. You can see he is no lesser horse and he is every bit as good as he ever was. I might just go straight to Windsor now. You can see why I have to run him as he is like a bottle of pope ready to go off, even at ten years-old.

"He just loves doing his job. He is just a joy to have and hopefully we get our day in the sun at Windsor.”

Just like that!

Thomas Cooper ended the final day of the meeting as he did the second with a winner after Saint Clovis opened his account in impressive style in the Three Counties Christmas Open National Hunt Flat Race. 

Twenty four hours after stablemate Celestial Tune claimed Listed glory at the track the gelded son of Clovis Du Berlais did likewise when leaving his rivals trailing with victory at the same level in the extended two mile prize. 

Although favourite Bud Fox loomed up as a big danger rounding the home turn his effort came to nothing as Saint Clovis piled on the pressure at the front of the field before scoring by four and three quarter lengths from Sinchi Roca. 

Cooper said: “That was great. There was a lot of talk about Gavin’s horse, but we had form with that with the mare as she was second to him at Punchestown. The two of them worked ten days ago and there was not much between them. 

“He was very free early doors. He settled better in Listowel (with the hood), but he was really fresh and well here over the last two days. The lad who rode him yesterday morning had him bucking and kicking down the shoot. He was really well and fresh.”

And following the race Cooper admitted that the Andrew Brooks-owned four-year-old is likely to head back to the track in March for a tilt at the Weatherbys Champion Bumper. 

He added: “We will stick to bumpers now and there is no point jumping a hurdle this season. We will go novice hurdling next season and I would say we will see him here in March."

Equally delighted with the victory was now retired Gold Cup winning rider, and son of the winning trainer, Bryan Cooper. 

He added: “I bought him and the mare yesterday so it is working well. I said to someone a few weeks ago that I actually met Shane Lowry the golfer and I said I’ve found it harder since I’ve retired to find that bit of a buzz, but I thought yesterday was the first real buzz I had coming back in here. It was deadly. 

“I rode the mare at the Curragh and Sam Ewing rode him and there wasn’t much between them. I said that to Harry Cobden going out and he said that will nearly do. 

“It is great as dad had a couple of dry spells, but it shows when you give someone the horses they can deliver. 

“There are some very good horses back home. We have twenty at the moment, but they are all winter horses. To come here in November and have two winners is not an easy thing to do and hopefully we might get a couple of orders after that.”

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