THERE was good prize money on offer at Newbury’s final National Hunt card of the season on Saturday, the very intricate Grade 2 EBF & TBA Mares’ “National Hunt” Finale going to Dan Skelton’s Roksana at 8/1.

It has been a splendid season for the Skeltons, though jockey Harry was still on the injury list and the ride on Roksana went to his girlfriend Bridget Andrews, fresh from her Cheltenham triumph on Mohaayed. She rode another fine race, challenging late on the far side on Roksana after Kalahari Queen had taken it up in the centre. Jubilympics and Just A Thought fared best of the rest.

Dan Skelton has shown often enough that he can win good races with horses returning from a break. Roksana had won lesser contests at Plumpton and Fontwell but that was before Christmas. This looked much tougher, but she did it in style.

Gary Moore’s Mister Chow (13/2) worked hard to master warm favourite Oistrakh Le Noir in the Be Wiser Juvenile Handicap Hurdle but Nicky Henderson’s Pacific De Beaune (4/11f) had a simple task in the novices’ hurdle commemorating one of the most stylish of all National Hunt jockeys, Johnny Haine.