Skeltons end season with double success at Warwick
HORSE RACING
Report by David Hucker
DAN and Harry Skelton took the honours as leading trainer and jockey at Warwick for 2017-18, capping another good campaign with a double at Wednesday’s season finale.
Trainer Dan and jockey Harry had come into the meeting with ten winners apiece and added another two on the night to finish well clear of their rivals and continue the good run of form that also sees them lead the national tables after setting career-best totals last season.
Too Much Too Soon flies the last for an easy success in the Racing Uk Profits Returned To Racing Handicap Chase. Photo: David Pratt.
The first came in the richest race of the meeting, the £11,400 Roberts Limbrick Architects Novices’ Chase over two miles, with Whatduhavtoget a short-priced favourite to land the money for the Skeltons. Apart from a mistake at third-last fence, put down by Harry to “jockey error”, she jumped enthusiastically to see off her only rival Forth Bridge by 14 lengths and make it back-to-back wins over the course.
The Warwickshire-based duo were back in the winner’s enclosure with Too Much Too Soon who, having jumped to the front at the penultimate fence in the Racing UK Profits Returned To Racing Handicap Chase, had too much in hand for Chase Me, who looks to be a winner-in-waiting for the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable off his current handicap mark.
With the last hurdle in the back straight omitted because of standing water, there were seven flights to take in the opening Wigley Building & Development “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and, in a race run at a steady pace, Olly Murphy’s Telegraph Place, ridden by Charlie Poste, saw out the trip the best for a 33-1 success.
When leader Mr Dorrell Sage came down at the second-last hurdle, favourite Mick Maestro was left clear and looked likely to break trainer Tom George’s losing run at the track, going back over three years and 30 runners.
But, challenged at the final flight by Telegraph Place, he folded quickly, being denied second place on the run-in by the Skelton-trained Finley’s Eyes, who ran his best race to date.
Champion trainer Nicky Henderson had just one runner at the meeting in the shape of Champ in the Creating A Design Difference Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs and leading owner JP McManus may well have another star on his hands as, in another steadily-run race, the 1-3 favourite lived right up to his name, taking over from Merry Milan at the penultimate flight and coming clear for a ten-length success.
With three non-runners, each-way betting was restricted to the first two home in the Qatar Airways Mares’ Handicap Hurdle and, in the closest of finishes, She’s Gina had her head down on the line to deny Ambre Des Marais, who had steered an erratic course from the final hurdle.
None of the runners in the Overbury Stud National Hunt Stallions Crudwell Cup Open Hunters’ Chase are likely to match the exploits of the horse the race commemorates. Winner of 50 of his 108 races, including the Welsh Grand National when ridden by Dick Francis, Crudwell was successful 11 times at Warwick and his record is likely to stand for some time.
With the veteran grey Barrington Bolt refusing to line up, just four set out on the three-and-a-quarter mile trip and, after the lead had changed hands several times through the race, it was 11-2 shot Garde Ville who came through at the end to deny Royalraise and win his first race under Rules with regular rider Stephen Paul Davies.
The racinguk.com Amateur Riders’ Handicap Hurdle brought the curtain down on the Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival and the season and top-weight Crown Hill, ridden by the experienced Will Biddick, came through to led over the last and hold off Calin Du Brizais, who was too keen for his own good through the early part of the race.
After a season that has seen record prize money and crowds, racing returns to the course on Tuesday, 25th September.
