Saturday horse racing analysis: Grey Dawning, Banbridge and Uncle Phil in the spotlight

What did we learn about Banbridge?

That he’s a serious second-season chaser that has Grade 1 targets in his sights.

The Grade 2 Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase looked a very good race for its type beforehand and while some of the five-strong cast didn’t show their true ability – Edwardstone was notably too free on his first go at an intermediate trip over fences – runner-up Pic D’Orhy looked somewhere near his best and he’s an excellent yardstick over this track and trip.

Banbridge beat him quite cosily in the end and would probably have won had Pic D’Orhy been as fluent as himself over the last, while the potential for further improvement is there given he made little mistakes at one or two fences and this was his first run in nine months.

A culling of his Ryanair Chase odds was predictable, the 20/1 available earlier in the week now a general 5/1.

He’s clearly a player in that race given he’s a previous Cheltenham Festival winner who is on the upgrade and he could well become the first horse to win the Silviniaco Conti Chase and Ryanair in the same season.

There are words of caution. Everything fell nicely for him at Kempton given he got a lovely tow into proceedings by Pic D’Orhy on ground (good to soft) that he loves. Withdrawn from last year’s Festival due to the soft ground, he’d ideally want a dry week at Prestbury Park.

He’s dislodged Stage Star from second favouritism in the Ryanair antepost markets, but I would argue that Paul Nicholls’ horse achieved more on his own seasonal reappearance in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November, so perhaps Banbridge’s new odds are a little overreaction.

Still, he’s a fine-looking uncomplicated horse who Joseph O’Brien can plot top-level campaigns with over the next few seasons, granted a bit of luck.

Who headlined Skelton six-timer?

Over 4000 miles away from the UK, across the Atlantic Ocean, probably sitting on a sunbed while watching Racing TV on an iPad, will have been a delighted Dan Skelton who had an incredible six-timer across the cards at Kempton, Wetherby and Warwick.

Unfortunately his local feature, the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase, wasn’t one of them, his pursuit of the £100,000 contest falling just short once again as he came agonisingly close with the game and gutsy Galia Des Liteaux.

She couldn’t quite reel in My Silver Lining, but threw her hat into the ring for races like the Grand National after carrying 11 stone 10lb into a three-quarter length second as she closed in on the winner on the run-in, pulling 12 lengths clear of the third.

I suspect targets will be on hold until Skelton sees what the handicapper does on Tuesday, but the daughter of Saddler Maker looks all stamina and, granted the reassessment isn’t too harsh, she looks a player for any marathon handicap chase you can think of.

Of the Skelton Six, though, it was Grey Dawning who stood out after landing the TrustATrader Hampton Novices’ Chase, the race Galia Des Liteaux came to prominence in 12 months ago.

This seven-year-old looks a rough diamond that his skillful handler will have fun polishing over the next year or so, his tendency to make a mistake at his fences when the pressure is really on not costing him at Warwick, unlike last time at Cheltenham.

He clouted the second last at Cheltenham, robbing him of a verdict over Ginny’s Destiny, and while he avoided any serious mistakes in the Hampton he jumped to his left, waywardly, at the last two, which makes his 14-length victory over Apple Away, who was in receipt of 10lb, all the more remarkable.

Around 10/1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham after this, he remains a work in progress, but his engine suggests he could be a force at the highest level once he has learnt more about the game upon the completion of his novice campaign.

Who else caught the eye for the future?

On a busy afternoon there’s plenty to go at, but Willie Mullins’ Uncle Phil forced his way into calculations for any race he’s entered up for after a convincing win in the SBK Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse.

This was impressive for a few reasons. Firstly, he reversed Punchestown form with Lucid Dreams quite easily, a nice indication of his improvement since November. Secondly, this was a clear career-best as he leaned on the experience he’s gained in five novice chases since first tackling a fence last May. And thirdly he controlled the race nicely with an assured jumping display in a strong heat where plenty was expected of the gambled-on third for Gavin Cromwell, Letsbeclearboutit.

Who knows what heights Uncle Phil will scale? I don’t know if he’ll make the Closutton team for Cheltenham for a Grand Annual or even an Arkle, but wherever he goes he looks a very-experienced novice that can put what he’s learned in the last year to good use wherever his trainer thinks he’ll be competitive.

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