There was a major surprise in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle at Haydock with 1/3 favourite Royal Infantry trailing home a well beaten fourth.
The market leader was among the leading British fancies for the Sky Bet Supreme itself after winning his first two starts over timber but was already in trouble when getting he second last wrong and was soon beating a retreat.
His trainer Dan Skelton was left dumbstruck but said: "He was hanging a bit left and didn’t travel so well down the back, it’s just one of those days. Harry said he was a bit keen after making the running last time but it was nothing dramatic.
"He put himself in a difficult spot two out and from that point it was unrecoverable. Fair play to the ones that have beaten us, they’ve done very well. Nothing looks horrendous, he’s just underperformed, but it is a bad day to underperform.”
The race went to Dedicated Hero who swamped Cloonainra and Peacenik to win by half a length.
Grand National winner Ryan Mania was on board and said: “We always knew he was a nice horse but today was about finding out just how good. I was niggling at the end of the straight because he found the track a bit sharp but he stayed on all the way to the line. I kept getting squeezed, but he dropped back enough to switch out and once he got a bit of daylight, he was away. I just hope Ruby Walsh wasn’t watching because I dropped my whip!
“The original plan was the Premier Hurdle at Kelso, as he’s won twice there, and then maybe Aintree – we haven’t really talked about Cheltenham. This is great for Sandy and the team. We’ve been missing a really good one since Seeyouatmidnight and hopefully this lad can nearly get there.”
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