Winning weekend for Alcester trainer Skelton

ALCESTER trainer Dan Skelton was on the mark at Warwick on Saturday evening when was an easy winner of the Phillips 66 Refinery To Jet Forecourt Novices’ Chase, writes

Ridden by Skelton’s brother Harry, eased into the lead at the third last fence and went right away from the rest of the field to score by 13 lengths and bring up the stable’s fourth winner of the new season.

They added another at Ludlow on Sunday with , who landed a hat-trick of wins when comfortably beating his three rivals.

Only third behind Sleep Easy on his hurdles debut on soft going at Stratford in March, has gone from strength to strength since encountering better ground and can make a step up in class.

Skelton has made a quick start to the new campaign as he looks to better last season’s personal best tally of 104 winners in Great Britain, earning over £1.2m in prize money.

Jockey brother Harry also scored a maiden century of winners in 2015-16 and he has notched up six already this season at a strike rate of 29% to put him in the chasing pack behind defending champion Richard Johnson in the title race.