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Eyecatcher of the day

The return of racing to Cheltenham will have no doubt pleased the thousands of National Hunt racing fans, but it was a useful Flat performer that took the eye in the defeat on this occasion.

Dancing In Paris was no match for Valgrand in the Grade Two Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle, but Ian Williams will have no doubt been pleased enough with the performance shown by the Olympic Glory gelding on his hurdling bow.

Although jumping left on occasions the four-year-old showed more than enough to suggest he can mix and match between both codes when battling on to finish third past much more experienced rivals.

While he will undoubtedly build on this experience he looks one to follow once getting a mark and switched to handicaps.

Impressive Valgrand leaves connections with options

Valgrand laid down an early season marker for bigger and better prizes later in the campaign after completing a hat-trick of wins when routing his rivals in the Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle.

Arriving on the back of victories at Warwick and Uttoxeter the five year old son of Bathyrhon took a step up in class in his stride with a dominant front running display in the Grade Two prize. Sent straight into the lead by Harry Skelton the 3/1 chance, who finished fourth in the Grade Two bumper at Aintree in April, never saw another rival on route to posting a career best success.

Jumping with great fluency throughout the extended two mile contest Valgrand gradually wound matters up front before turning for home with a commanding advantage. And after meeting the last on a good stride the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned gelding bounded up the hill to score by 17 lengths from odds-on favourite Gale Mahler to complete a double for the winning rider, and trainer Dan Skelton.

The Alcester handler said: “Harry has given him a magic ride. Gale Mahler has not run her race and she was a bit below par after a busy summer. I don’t think we can be literal with the form, but I think we can be very happy with our performance. He loved it out front and jumped brilliantly. He didn’t really get hassled until three out so Harry kind of had the run of what he wanted. He stays that trip really well and I’m delighted with him.

“He didn’t get beaten up last season and the owners were very patient with him. He was second at this meeting last year in the bumper and we didn’t run him until Aintree as we were always avoiding bad ground, not because he won’t go on it, but I didn’t want him to have unnecessary runs on it. He has taken me by surprise that he has won that well. I thought he was a player today, but I didn’t think he was going to do that. It was just brilliant. To put up the performance he did from the back of three out to the line is very taking.”

Following the race Skelton suggested Valgrand, who was introduced for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 40/1 by the sponsors, needs to put up another performance like that before being considered for the two mile Grade One prize at the Cheltenham Festival.

He added: “We need to go see another race to make sure that wasn’t a fluke if I’m honest. We thought he would be quite good and progressive, and if we can get another run to a level like that, then we could be dreaming. We will just keep our feet, and his feet, on the floor for the moment. "We could definitely look at the Supreme as he is not going to go down the handicap route now.

“We were handicapped coming into this and I gave him four entries today and luckily we got the right race. There is a lot of water to go under the bridge, but it is nice to have that performance around here. The owners are delighted, and I’m delighted. We will have one more run in a novice hurdle to check that it was correct form and then we will go from there.”

As for Gale Mahler her trainer Adrian Keatley hinted that a step up in trip now awaits the five year old Mahler mare, who could be aimed at the Coral Cup in the spring.

Keatley said: “Turning in I thought she was going to be fourth, but she has stayed on a good second and the winner could be anything. We are looking like we need to step back up in trip. Initially you are going to be disappointed, but that is because there was so much hype about her and she was a short price favourite.

“She has toughed it out to stay on to be second. We will go home and re-group. Second in a Grade Two is not a bad effort. You never know if we get her back in winning shape she could be back here for the Coral Cup.”

Skelton hails Skelton

Dan Skelton hailed the efforts of his brother Harry Skelton after Calico scooped the most valuable pot of his career with a game victory in the squareintheair.com Handicap Chase.

After being nabbed close to the line by the re-opposing Triple Trade at last year’s November Meeting the son of Soldier Hollow gained compensation when coming with a perfectly produced run in the £100,000 prize. Sitting behind the pace setting pair of Mateta, and last year’s winner Dancing On My Own, for much of the two mile contest the well supported 3/1 chance swept to the front with a fine leap at the second last to move into an advantage he would hold all the way to the line.

Although Calico was pestered up the run-in by Mateta the 5/2 favourite could not quite re-gain the advantage with a neck separating the pair at the line much to the delight of the Skelton team.

Skelton said: “That was a brilliant ride, but that is what we employ him for! He got beaten here at the November Meeting last year and I came away from it and I said to John (J Reilly), his owner, that we might not win for the rest of the season now.

“I knew he was just so good that first day, and I knew how much effort he had put in and how much of a hard race he had to get beat, and it was true he didn’t win for the rest of the season. The handicapper let him in a pound less today than he was then so he was always going to be competitive today.

“They have gone a real good gallop, which I think has suited him, as he has got a lovely box seat the whole way around. He has been brave up the run, and he had to be. If you watch him down the back straight I’ve never seen a horse get the ditch so wrong, but almost hurdle it and just hang on. It was remarkable really how he didn’t loose any momentum. Harry just let him fill up down the hill and he hasn’t committed him early. He had a good jump at the last when he needed it. It was just lovely.”

An outing in the Grade Two Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park on December 27th could now be in store for Calico according to the trainer.

He said: “He has been brilliant today and I might just leave him all the way until the Desert Orchid as it is a limited handicap chase this year. He is obviously very good fresh and he has got a £100,000 race in the bank already so fair play to him.”

While Skelton has mapped out plans for Calico he admits he will have to re-think early season targets for stable star Protektorat after the prospect of quick ground at Aintree ruled him out of Sunday’s Grade Two Virgin Bet Old Roan Handicap Chase.

Skelton added: “The ground is just too quick for him. They are watering their ground, and I’m not knocking it, as everyone has done a good job to get the ground as good as it is, but it has just dried up a bit the last week. Honestly I’m not sure where I go with him now.”

Relief for Cromwell as Path delivers

Gavin Cromwell breathed a sigh of relief after Path D’Oroux belatedly opened his account over fences when getting the better of a late dash for home in the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Novices' Chase.

Having claimed the two mile contest 12 months ago with the talented My Mate Mozzie the County Meath handler secured the prize once again after the gelded son of Coastal Path struck gold on his 11th start over fences. After jumping satisfactory enough during the early stages of the race the 4/7 favourite gave his supporters an almighty scare when making a shuddering mistake at the fourth last.

However, the odds-on favourite quickly gained his composure to put himself in contention on the run to the final fence, at which any one of the four runners could have been called the winner.

But after so many close defeats Path D’Oroux, who finished third in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival in March, stuck his neck out when it mattered most to score by a head.

Cromwell said: “I’m delighted for the horse as he was banging on the door so many times last season and didn’t win, but I suppose he gained a lot of experience and he came into this race with no penalty. It was a messy race, and they went very slow, and it turned into a sprint, but luckily we came out on the right side.

"At the end of the last season we said this was where we were going to come as we won it last year with My Mate Mozzie. It is great to be back and nice to win it again. It was a good run in the Grand Annual here last season. He kept showing up, but falling a bit short in the handicaps.

"It looked like he was going to win at Leopardstown one day last season, then he collided with one of Henry de Bromhead’s, and he came down. It was just one of those things, but he gained plenty of experience and he showed it there today.

“It was one of those at four out. I suppose they were just hacking around and he just came out of Keith’s (Donoghue) hands, but he got away with it thankfully.

“He is probably not good enough to mix it with the Grade One novices, but at the same time he has plenty of experience and early season in against them he might just have a bit of an upper hand on them. I’ve not thought about it (the Paddy Power Gold Cup) as this was the plan for the moment and thankfully it has started off well.”

Pointers team off to flier at Cheltenham

Wyenot, a 14/1 selection for the Punting Pointers team, made her return to Cheltenham a triumphant one when holding off a host of challengers to record a front running success in the Foundation Developments Handicap Hurdle.

Last sighted finishing third over an extended two and a half miles in a Listed mares’ novices’ contest on the New Course back in April the five year old mare showed she is equally effective on the Old Course to register career victory number four.

Rounding the home turn both 7-2 favourite In The Air and the strong travelling Anyharminasking looked big dangers as Alice Stevens asked her mount for more out in front.

And the response she got was exactly what she asked for with Wyenot pulling further clear on the run to the last before holding the strong finishing Anna Bunina at bay by a length.

Daly said of the 7/1 winner: “To be fair she has done that before. It is her style of running and it kind of suits her. It wasn’t particularly tenacious, that is just her. She runs and jumps and loves good ground and it all sort of fitted.

“She ran in a Listed mares’ novices’ contest last season, which was competitive, but she just got in a bit of a muddle about things and it didn’t quite work out, but she wouldn’t have beaten the winner if she started the week before.

“From what we discovered over two and a half miles on the New Course we realised the trip was in her comfort zone as she is bred to get it. The reason we ran her is there wasn’t a mares race for her. She might have to go up a bit into a better class of race now.”

Moment to savour for McCain-Michell

Toby McCain-Mitchell secured what he described as a ‘magic’ success after celebrating his first Cheltenham winner aboard The Newest One in the Glenfarclas Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.

The 23-year-old, who is the grandson of the legendary Donald “Ginger” McCain, trainer of the great Red Rum, and nephew of Grade One winning handler Donald McCain, notched his first winner at the home of jump racing when steering the Oscar gelding to glory in the three miles one furlong prize.

Having been up front from the outset of the race the 10/1 chance was there to be shot at over the final two fences from those in behind, however the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained nine year old was not for passing, with the pair crossing the line with a length and a half in hand.

McCain-Mitchell said: “It is my first winner at Cheltenham. It is unbelievable and some feeling. As I was trotting back up the chute Jack Andrews said is that your first winner here. He said slow down and take it all in, and he was right, as it was just magic. James Turner (jockey) said to me before the race that he is tough. I didn’t want to get going on him too soon, but I thought if I turn in with my head in front he will take a bit of passing.

“He has toughed it out really well and it is all a bit surreal. I was aware of how positive I was on him, but he has run over these trips before. I schooled him a couple of times at home and I thought if I can get him jumping then that will do all the work, and it did. He was magic and helped me out everywhere I needed him. I remember all those years I tried getting out of geography to go to the toilet to watch the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. The atmosphere and the history makes it different from riding a winner anywhere else.”

An outing over the famous Grand National fences could now beckon for The Newest One with Twiston-Davies hinting that the Becher Chase at Aintree in December is now under consideration.

He added: “He seems to be getting better as he is getting older. Toby is a brilliant jockey and is a great help to us. We were very hopeful today hence we had planned this from a long way out. He could possibly come here for the November Meeting, but there has been talk that we could look at the Becher Chase or something like that."

Potters all gold as Twiston-Davies doubled up

Potters Charm moved a significant step closer to taking aim at Graded race targets following a clearcut victory in the Alastair Down Press Room Novices’ Hurdle.

The gelded son of Valirann made it three wins from as many starts under rules since being purchased for £105,000 after finishing second in his sole point-to-point start to complete a double for Nigel Twiston-Davies.

After getting off the mark over hurdles at Worcester last time out the five year old was sent off the 6/5 favourite to add to that success in the two and a half mile prize. Although not foot perfect at the last the short-priced market leader duly obliged under Sam Twiston-Davies when staying on resolutely up the run in to score by two and a quarter lengths.

Willy Twiston-Davies, son and assistant trainer, said: "They are a very nice new bunch of owners that got two horses with us which are Rosscahill, and him, and luckily they are four from four now.

“I thought he was a very nice horse and I said to them if it was soft ground he will definitely win as he is very good on soft ground, so it was a bit of a worry with the ground being good. We know at home his talent is there and I think he won here despite the ground, and the trip, as eventually he will be a three miler on soft ground.

“We expected him to win much easier at Worcester, and I expected him to win much better today, but he is a work in progress. He didn’t jump so well in his point-to-point and he is learning on the job at home.

“Every time Sam asked him he came for him and I think if another horse pushed him he would have gone on again. We haven’t had one like this for a while. He will only do as much as he asked to do at home and that is the sign of a very good horse.

“Sam wants to go for the Grade Two at the next meeting, but I would like to take on Ged (Mason, part-owner) and his expensive horse in the Challow Hurdle. There is no rush as the long term plan is the Festival. We had a trip to Galway earlier on in the year and I said to the boys this horse has been the apple of my eye for a while as everything he does at home pleases me and dad a lot.

"His jumping can sharpen up, while over further, and on softer ground he will be better. He is a very unfurnished horse. I promise you we haven’t seen anywhere near the best of him yet."

And following the success Mason, who is part of winning syndicate El Rincon, was quick to praise the Twiston-Davies team for persuading them to splash the cash on Potters Charm.

Mason said: "Well done to Will and the Twiston-Davies team. This is a group of friends who many have not been in racing before and they have just had the day of their life.

"Sir Alex (Ferguson) is involved of course as well, but it is nice to see the smile of new owners coming into the sport.

“Will encouraged us, and found the horse. It is testimony to the hard work they all put in at the yard.

"There are six of us and we are all north-west based. It was my 60th birthday and we were all in a Spanish restaurant in Manchester called El Rincon and Will was there, and Paul Nicholls was there. Paul went home, and if he stayed we might have gone with Paul.

“Will stayed and talked us into two horses and we called the group El Rincon."

Collins opens Cheltenham account

Cian Collins became the latest trainer to celebrate a breakthrough winner at the track after Impero continued his progression since switching codes in the Abu Dhabi Digital Markets Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Although without a victory to his name in 17 Flat starts the gelded son of Zoffany has proven a different animal since his return to hurdles after making it two wins from his last three appearances over them in the concluding prize on the seven race card.

After opening his account over hurdles at Downpatrick 14 days ago the five year old backed them up when coming out on top by three-quarters of a length in the extended two-mile contest from fast charging favourite Norman Fletcher.

And following the win it left Collins, 26, who had earlier saddled Jazzy Matty to finish second in the two-mile novices’ chase, dreaming of a return to the track at the Cheltenham Festival for a tilt at the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Collins said: “It was great to get one over the line. Some people train all their careers and never get a winner here so it is great to get one early on and hopefully we can now kick on from it.

“He has improved with every run and he is starting to enjoy his racing. After his last run as we were coming over with Jazzy I said to the owner why not take a chance as you never know what could happen so we are over the moon. I’m a little bit hoarse after that.

“Maybe he could turn into a Martin Pipe horse and that is something that is on the back of our minds.”

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