RANDOX HEALTH COUNTY

HANDICAP HURDLE

(GRADE 3)

TWELVE months after her sister sprung a 40/1 shock on Domesday Book in the Kim Muir, young jockey Bridget Andrews secured a triumph she will cherish forever more as the unconsidered Mohaayed saw off fellow longshot Remiluc.

Trainer Dan Skelton has carried all before him in terms of winners in Britain and the trainer and is now fast closing in on 150 victories for the campaign after striking gold in this race for the second time in three years.

The winner Mohaayed had run well behind Buveur D’Air earlier in the season and he was beaten less than four lengths in last year.

However, the slow ground was regarded as a major negative for the chances of the former Irish 2000 Guineas sixth and Skelton reported afterwards that only for the owner his charge may not even have run.

As the field turned for him, the usual scramble for places began in earnest but after the last there were three horses that separated themselves from the others. One of these was the well-backed Mullins runner Whiskey Sour but he couldn’t quite match either Remiluc or Mohaayed with the last-named forging on to score by two and three-quarter lengths.

“I can’t believe it. Everyone works hard and you want to be able to reward them and I’m delighted for Bridget,” declared Skelton. “I was really fancying this horse up to three weeks ago but then it just kept raining and if it was up to me I probably would have pulled out.”

A thrilled rider declared: “We knew he had this sort of a performance in him but we just felt his chance had gone on the ground and I got on when Harry (Skelton) switched to ride Spiritofthegame. I just can’t believe how he handled the ground.”