Harry Skelton rode a Fontwell double

Fontwell: Get On The Yager brings up Harry Skelton century

17:22 · MON December 11, 2017

News from Monday's card at Fontwell, where jockey Harry Skelton reached a century of winners for the season.

Harry Skelton reached a century of winners for the season when Get On The Yager gave him a double at Fontwell.

Skelton was achieving the feat for the third season in a row, having picked up 101 winners in each of the last two campaigns, but this was by far his fastest, and remarkably each one was trained by his brother, Dan.

Get On The Yager (100/30), a smart novice hurdler last term, stepped up on his two previous efforts over the bigger obstacles to outpoint the in-form favourite Ramses De Teillee in the T I Engineering Crane Service Handicap Chase.

The seven-year-old overcame errors at the fourth- and third-last fences to jump ahead at the final fence, going on to win by seven lengths.

Skelton told At The Races: "I rode my 100th winner of last season on Rene's Girl at Ludlow in April. It hasn't taken as long (this season), but I couldn't have done it without my brother and the staff at home have been fantastic, they've got me 100 winners and I'm thankful for them."

Well it was a good day @FontwellPark to get 💯up for the season before Christmas, thankyou for all the messages, and everyone that has worked hard @DSkeltonRacing to make it happen. Don't stop now keep kicking!!
— harryskelton (@harryskelton89) December 11, 2017

The trainer said: "It's brilliant for him, he works exceptionally hard and to do it before Christmas is amazing.

"I'm sure he'd like to thank everyone who's made it possible - the owners, my assistant Tom Messenger, who drives him to most places, and I'm sure he's thinking of riding a lot more going forward.

"It's been a remarkable transformation in his fortunes from four or five years ago.

"We planned to have a good summer, we had one and that was the catalyst for what's happened.

"Get On The Yager loved the ground and the trip."

Roksana had put the rider on the 99-winner mark when she followed up last month's Plumpton success in the Salisbury Hardwood Flooring Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

The 6/4 favourite handled the tough conditions well and was able to fend off her only serious rival The Vocalist after jumping the second-last flight to score by 14 lengths.

Dan Skelton added: "Roksana did it under a penalty which is never easy."

One away from the century for @harryskelton89 as Roksana brings him his 99th win of the season at @FontwellPark: pic.twitter.com/gDhZbaGcwv
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 11, 2017

Skelton lies second in the jockeys' title race behind Richard Johnson, who took his tally to 116 with an all-the-way win on Greyed A (15/8) in the T I Engineering Novices' Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old, trained by Dr Richard Newland, had a handy advantage for most of the near three-and-a-quarter-mile slog and kept up the gallop to score by eight lengths from Bobonyx.

Robert Walford's Our Merlin (evens favourite) defied a 7lb penalty for a recent Plumpton victory when romping home in the John And Maryanne Birch Memorial Handicap Hurdle under Harry Cobden.

Aiguille Rouge (9/2) pulled clear of the field in the NJS Juvenile Hurdle after being left in front by the fall of Marettimo three out to win by eight lengths from Acaro for trainer Gary Moore and his son, Jamie.

Seamus Mullins' Norphin, the 20/1 outsider of four, got off the mark at the 31st attempt when outstaying his three rivals in the Libation Bar & Eatery Handicap Chase for Liam Treadwell, while 5lb claimer James Bowen steered Willshebetrying (10/1) home for Mark Hoad in the Boughton's Handicap Hurdle.