CHELTENHAM FRIDAY

CHELTENHAM’S opening fixture of the 2017-18 season began in bright sunshine yesterday and an informative afternoon saw the Skeltons, trainer and jockey, continue their fine start to the campaign as North Hill Harvey took the Class 2 squareintheair.com Novices’ Chase.

A six-year-old by Kayf Tara, North Hill Harvey made most of the running on this chasing debut but looked destined for second when market leader Sceau Royal, already successful over fences, moved alongside and established a narrow advantage. However, the race was far from over and Harry Skelton gained a fine response from North Hill Harvey, driving him out to score by a neck. The pair had the finish to themselves although Ballyhill, beaten by Sceau Royal last time, was beaten only just over two lengths in third.

The first two were very good over hurdles. Indeed, Sceau Royal ran by no means badly in the Champion Hurdle itself, while North Hill Harvey won the valuable Greatwood Hurdle at the Open Meeting here. He lost his way in the spring but was never quite right, whereas on this occasion he looked the part and performed accordingly.

“We’ve started well and long may it continue,” Dan Skelton said. “This is the place to come and have winners and we’ve a lot of talent waiting in the background, so there is much to look forward to. All being well, I’d like to think of North Hill Harvey as an Arkle horse.”

It has taken Donald McCain a while to recover from the loss of the horses owned by the Rooneys but he is getting there and the talented eight-year-old What Happens Now boosted him still further by running out an easy winner of the Joel Dommett Here On 6th April Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong.

O’CONNOR

A prolific winner over both hurdles and fences, What Happens Now, 8/1, would probably have won this anyway but Derek O’Connor showed once again why he is in such demand on both sides of the Irish Sea. Top-weight Sporting Boy made it a good gallop in front but What Happens Now was stalking him from the top of the hill and O’Connor soon let him stride on. Never brought under any pressure at all, the winner jumped the last two perfectly and coasted home nine lengths ahead of Indian Castle, with Regal Flow keeping on quite well in third.

It will be interesting to see where the winner goes next because time is still on his side. The handicapper will have taken due note, however.

Paul Nicholls, reluctant to comment on his chances of regaining the trainers’ title with several aspiring challengers in full flow, has nonetheless started the season in style and Black Corton, 5/2, made it five wins from his last six outings in the Class 2 Ryman Stationery Business Club Novices’ Chase over three miles.

He looked more than a little fortunate, however, because Sizing Tennessee and Bryan Cooper had established a narrow but probably decisive lead when blundering and crumpling at the second-last fence. Keeping on strongly for Bryony Frost, Black Corton strode up to the line with 10 lengths to spare over Gordon Elliott’s slightly disappointing 13/8 favourite Fagan.

“Black Corton has done nothing but improve,” Nichols remarked. “He’s jumped very well in all of his chases and that’s the important thing. He beat Sizing Tennessee at Newton Abbot, don’t forget, although he had more to do here at the weights. We’re delighted with him.”

MASTERFUL RIDE

There are ways and ways to record your first Cheltenham winner but trainer Tim Vaughan, after a long, long wait, finally saw champion jockey Richard Johnson bring 12/1 chance Master Dancer from last to first in the Brandon Hill Capital Handicap Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

This was a masterclass in a multi-runner field as Master Dancer, still lobbing along as the in-form Hallings Comet led them to the top of the hill, passed horse after horse and picked up gallant top-weight KK Lexion, who possibly kicked for home a shade too soon, before staying on to pull a remarkable 10 lengths clear of Vivas, with KK Lexion holding third ahead of Hallings Comet.

The afternoon had begun with a gritty success for even-money favourite Brillare Momento in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

For much of the trip, the two mares had it to themselves with Treacle Tart threatening to take it up. Gordon Elliott’s Its All Guesswork made good headway running to the top of the hill and seemed poised to challenge but a crucial mistake knocked the stuffing out of him and the order remained the same.

Brillare Momento will never find all that much when it comes to a turn of foot but she stays very well and is a winner at listed level. Putting her head down and seeing it out for Aidan Coleman, she kept on dourly to outlast her persistent rival by a length and a half and there will be more races for her, especially when taking on her own sex again. Local winning trainer Martin Keighley has shown often enough that he can send out winners here.

Winning Irish pointer Slate House made all for Robbie Power in the two-mile maiden hurdle to gain his first success for the Colin Tizzard stable.

Martin Keighley completed a first and last race double when Bobbie Emerald (33/1) ridden by Harry Stock held of the favourite Man Of Plenty in the conditional jockeys’ hurdle. Irish raider Lion In His Heart pulled himself up again before the turn-in, while High Expectations fell two out.