Honky Tonk Highway rewards favourite backers at Sandown

Honky Tony Highway grinds out victory in the opener

The Dan Skelton-trained mare (4/6 favourite) was sent to the front by Harry Skelton from the fall of the flag and, though pestered by Mount Gay Run at one stage, barely saw another rival in very blustery conditions.

It wasn't all plain sailing however in testing ground, with his jockey hard at work from some way out, but his willing partner jumped the last very well to quell any hopes of an upset from eventual runner-up Hartington (5/2) for all the Joe Tizzard-trained runner closed up all the way to the line.

The winner was recording her second listed success at the track, having won a bumper at the Esher venue on debut last season.

Dan Skelton said: “I entered her on Monday when I saw the race was cutting up. Running her 16 days after Warwick wasn’t perfectly ideal but she is a tough customer and you are actually never really getting to the bottom of her.

“The run at Warwick probably did her the world of good – she just bumped into one that day, a horse of Nicky’s (Henderson, That’s Nice) who looks very good.

“She was good round here today and handled that ground. She could come back here for the Jane Seymour (Grade Two, February 13). We’ll see what the handicapper does – I think the second was only rated 115 so we’ll see.

Harry Skelton said: “To be honest, when Dan entered her here over two miles I thought he was mad as it was only 16 days after her last run. But she’s a mare that has plenty up sleeve and has barely had a blow. That’s what helps her get home.

“She is a bit idle and does what she has to do but she has enjoyed the conditions today and stayed well to the line. I think she could step up in trip but around here you really have to stay with that ground and that hill.

“She is versatile but it was a brilliant piece of placing by Dan.”

Anthony Honeyball mare stays on well up the Sandown hill

Good Look Charm (9/2) lowered the colours of some talented mares when staying on best to see off Cast’s Tasha in the Betfair Supports Racing With Pride Mares' Handicap Hurdle.

The runner-up (8/1) looked a big danger all the way up the home straight but failed to pick up as well as the winner who had struck the front two out and kept up the gallop under 10-lb claimer Chad Bament to win by three and a quarter lengths.

Red-hot 7/4 favourite Larchmont was only third after a less than fluent round of jumping.

“That was a lovely ride from Chad. When you can claim 10lb, you do it for a reason and you keep it simple. I said to Chad , keep it simple and the ground and track will do it for you. Chad got a nice spot and it was just textbook really. The race unfolded as we hoped it would,” said Honeyball.

Henri comes home in first

Henri The Second (11/4 favourite) appreciated the step up in trip when opening his account for the season in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

A Grade 2 winner at the track back in 2022, the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding ran well on his reappearance last month and galloped all the way to the line over this extra half-mile to win unchallenged to 18 lengths.

Up For Parol (12/1) was a distant second, with Super Survivor (6/1) a further 11 lengths back in third.

“It was disappointing what happened on his first chase start last season and then he missed the rest of the season,” said Nicholls.

“He won the Grade Two Winter Hurdle here two years ago and we always thought he’d make a smart chaser but it just didn’t happen for him last season. We thought a couple of runs over hurdles this year might do his confidence good. Obviously it has and we might just stay over hurdles with him now and go chasing again in the autumn.

“He ploughed through the ground today and most of the others didn’t. We could target the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham with him. It depends how much he goes up, we’ll see. He likes that ground and if it was testing ground we could maybe look at something like the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham for him. He is obviously a smart horse and is coming back to himself.”

Treble for Skeltons

A great day for the Skeltons, who also won the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase with L’Eau Du Sud, got even better when Knickerbockerglory made all the running in the Betfair Plays Different Handicap Hurdle.

It was the third season in a row the 13-8 favourite had won first time out.

Dan Skelton said: “He’s very good on this ground, a few non-runners helped and he’ll go to the Winter Million meeting at Windsor now.”

Coneygree partnership team up once again

Mr Vango (3-1) ran out an emotional winner of the Betfair Exchange London National Handicap Chase for Sara Bradstock.

The widow of Gold Cup winner Mark Bradstock, she teamed up with Coneygree’s jockey Nico De Boinville who was securing a double on the card after Jonbon won the Tingle Creek.

“I was so glad the meeting was on as the ground can’t be soft enough for him, the man in the sky sent the rain for us!” she said.

“It’s great Nico was on board, he was with us as a very young jockey starting out.

“The plan is very much the Welsh National but he wouldn’t run unless it was good to soft, but we’ve always thought that would be made for him.”

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