Shloer Chase (Grade 2)
THE Grade 2 Shloer Chase saw a stylish performance from L’Eau Du Sud (Dan/Harry Skelton), as he capitalised on a sloppy jumping display from favourite Jonbon (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville), who only managed second after longtime leader Matata (Nigel Twiston-Davies/J.J. Slevin) all but blundered his rider away at the final fence.
Jonbon looked happy enough over the first few fences as he pressed Matata for the lead, but his jumping never really warmed up, with a slow jump at the water setting the tone for the rest of the contest and he was beaten when diving badly left at the penultimate fence. In contrast, 100/30 chance L’Eau Du Sud jumped as well as he ever has and cruised into contention just after halfway.
Taking a lead from Matata down the hill, it was clear that Harry Skelton was holding on to plenty and he eased to the front by the turn for home before the race was ended by Matata’s blunder, with the winner able to cruise clear by 15 lengths from the odds-on favourite. The pair are likely to meet again in the Tingle Creek at Sandown next month.
Skelton said: “We needed to know where we stood today. He is a very good horse, and I think he has probably improved on looking on that today. I shouldn’t have run him at Warwick; it took too much out of him and that is why he wasn’t at his best in the Arkle. I didn’t want to say that at the time as I didn’t want to be making an excuse, but that is in the past and hopefully we can make it up in the future.
Skelton said: “We needed to know where we stood today. He is a very good horse, and I think he has probably improved on looking on that today. He will go to the Tingle Creek, and based on what I got wrong last season, he might go straight to the Champion Chase. I wouldn’t leave the door completely shut on Ascot.”
THE Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle was a competitive affair on paper but saw an impressive winner in the shape of hurdling debutant No Drama This End (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) who tracked favourite Heads Up (John McConnell/Mark McDonagh) before Cobden asked the 5/1 chance to assert at the last and he was able to coast home after producing a quick leap, passing the post three lengths to the good of Heads Up and looking to have lots more to spare.
Nicholls said: “He is a proper big chasing horse, and we need to look after him. Harry said he had gears and that he did it all nicely. Running him in the Champion Bumper wasn’t lost on him and it didn’t do him any harm. I put pressure on myself as you want those good horses. If you haven’t got the players in your team, you are a little bit screwed basically.
“This one has had something special about him all the way along the line, but I just wanted to see that on track, which we did today. For a first run over hurdles, that is really good.
Nicholls added: “I will not run him before the Challow Hurdle as I don’t need to, and we will go straight there. We will look after him this season and go chasing next season. Hermes Allen won this race before the Challow, and he would be up there with all those horses without a shadow of a doubt. If ever I had another type like Denman, it is him.”
Rest of the card
THE listed novice chase on the card went to Olly Murphy’s Wade Out, but only after Sean Bowen produced another candidate for ride of the season. The winner didn’t take a cut at any of the early fences and although in touch at the top of the hill, he appeared to be going worst of those remaining, only for Bowen to conjure a strong run in the straight to win going away. Whether the winner goes the right way over fences remains to be seen.
Tristan Durrell often ends up riding the unfancied runners at the Skelton stable so he will have been delighted to show his talent on A Pai De Nom, who sparked a double for the stable in the opening conditional riders’ handicap hurdle, while the card was bookended by handicap hurdles and the last went to 5/1 shot French Emperor (Nicky Martin/James Bowen). The win provided Martin with a remarkable statistic, becoming her fifth winner of the season from just five runners.
The veterans’ chase saw Eldorado Allen (Joe Tizzard/Brendan Powell) give his rivals a jumping lesson, barely touching a twig as he made all for a 13/2 win over the frustrating Mister Coffey.