JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial
(Registered As The Finesse Juvenile Hurdle)
Grade 2, Cheltenham 13:15
£80,000 guaranteed, 4yo only,
2m 1f, Class 1  
Saturday 24th January 2026

1 Maestro Conti 5/2
2 One Horse Town 5/1
3 Minella Yoga 2/1F
10 ran Distances: 2l, 1l, 1l
Time: 4m 11.06s (slow by 14.06s)

Maestro Conti announced himself in no uncertain terms as a JCB Triumph Hurdle contender for Harry and Dan Skelton with a performance that hinted at considerable promise.

Already a winner in France before arriving in Warwickshire, he had caught the eye on his British debut at Kempton. This was a step up again, a Grade 2 contest registered as the Finesse Hurdle, and he carried a 3 lb penalty with the confidence of a horse who knew his job.

Harry Skelton kept a firm lid on him as they swung into the final circuit, One Horse Town bowling along in front. Down the far side the leader still dictated, but 2/1 favourite Minella Yoga ranged up on the outside, with Maestro Conti tucked neatly into his slipstream, waiting for the moment to strike.

Paul O’Brien asked One Horse Town to stretch and for a moment the gelding kicked three lengths clear. But both Minella Yoga and Maestro Conti were closing rapidly as they approached the last. Skelton spotted a gap between the rail and the leader on the climb, threaded the needle, and Maestro Conti quickened smartly through the seam. He ran on strongly to score by two lengths, with a length back to Minella Yoga. One Horse Town, brave as ever, rallied once passed to hold third.

The victory shortened Maestro Conti to a general 8/1 for the JCB Triumph Hurdle and left connections with plenty to ponder.

Skelton reflected afterwards: “That was a very good ride. He did a lot wrong as Harry sat on him for longer than he was probably going to from two out until the last just to make sure he filled up. I thought it was a very good ride tactically.

“There was a lot of differences today. He ran around Kempton Park at Christmas where they were breaking track records. It was very different ground, a very different track and a different set of opposition. Harry did less with him from two out until the last just because he had been keen and he had to make sure he didn’t commit him. He has still got four lengths to make up at the last and he has done well to do so. I’m very happy with him.

“He showed all the attributes we hoped he had. He gave away a small penalty to a few in the field, but I think it was a solid run. I think the ride accentuated that [the way he made up the ground], but don’t take it away from the horse because at his tender age everything does have to go right for them and they do have to be good to do it around here in that ground.

“Pat Hales asked me before the race how good do you think he is, and I said honestly Pat I’ve not got a clue. I said I know he is pretty good ground around Kempton Park, but that is not the only test he will get in his life. One thing about this horse is that he has a lot of style and a lot of class. He wouldn’t work the house down at home, but we wouldn’t ask him to.

“I liked the way he came home here. He gave him a chance to win, and he wanted to. There were a lot of positives and he will come back here for the Triumph Hurdle.”

Harry Skelton was equally upbeat after the line: “He’s got an engine, stays really well, real good attitude; it was a good performance. He stays well and he gave me that impression at Kempton but like Lisa Hales said, he’s a three miler in the making.

“I was always [confident of winning] and I was keen enough so I knew I had to sit on him for a bit longer and give him a chance. I wasn’t worried if he got beat. I thought ‘if I don’t get there, I don’t get there but I have to do right by him’ and he’d been quite keen so I wanted to sit on him and give him every chance to pick up and he ground it out in the end.”

JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial
(Registered As The Finesse Juvenile Hurdle) (Grade 2)
£80,000 guaranteed, 4yo only, 2m 179y, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Soft

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Maestro Conti 4 11-3 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 5/2
2 2 One Horse Town 4 11-5 Harry Derham Paul O'Brien 5/1
3 1 Minella Yoga 4 11-0 Paul Nicholls Sam Twiston-Davies 2/1F
4 1 Lord Byron 4 11-0 Faye Bramley Ben Jones 28/1
5 nk La Luna Artista 4 10-7 Jane Williams Ciaran Gethings 28/1
6 9 Tenter Le Tout 4 10-12 Chester Williams Gavin Sheehan 9/1
7 12 Hardy Stuff 4 11-0 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 4/1
8 hd Miss Des Boullats 4 10-10 M Seror Bryony Frost 66/1
9 12 Chartwell Jock 4 11-0 Seamus Mullins Daniel Sansom 500/1
PU Sonic Pioneer 4 11-0 Martin Keighley Sean Bowen 40/1

BoyleSports

Year Horse Owner Trainer Weight Jockey SP

1990 Sayyure Brian Lovrey Nigel Tinkler 11-08 Graham McCourt 3/1
1991 Hopscotch Pipe Scudamore Racing Martin Pipe 11-02 Peter Scudamore 8/11 f
1992 Abandoned
1993 Major Bugler Colin Buckle Toby Balding 11-00 Adrian Maguire 13/2
1994 Pridwell Pond House Racing Martin Pipe 11-00 Richard Dunwoody 3/1
1995 Brave Tornado Bridget Swire Toby Balding 11-04 AP McCoy 7/2
1996 Abandoned
1997 Shooting Light John Brown Pat Murphy 11-00 Richard Dunwoody 10/11 f
1998 Zafarabad Elaine Baines David Nicholson 11-00 Richard Johnson 1/3 f
1999 Hors La Loi III John Martin Francois Doumen FR 11-08 Thierry Doumen 5/2
2000 Mister Banjo Million In Mind P’ship Nicky Henderson 11-08 Mick Fitzgerald 2/7 f
2001 Jair Du Cochet Miriam Montauban Guillaume Macaire FR 11-08 Jacques Ricou Evens f
2002 Vol Solitaire Barry Marshall Paul Nicholls 11-00 Joe Tizzard 11/1
2003 Moneytrain Tina Hamann Christian Von Der Recke GER 11-00 Robert Thornton 25/1
2004 Mondul Let’s Live Racing Milton Harris 11-08 Ollie McPhail 11/2
2005 Akilak Ada Partnership Howard Johnson 11-00 Graham Lee 50/1
2006 Abandoned
2007 Katchit D S J P Syndicate Alan King 11-07 Robert Thornton 2/1 f
2008 Franchoek J P McManus Alan King 11-07 Robert Thornton 10/11 f
2009 Walkon McNeill Racing Alan King 11-07 Robert Thornton 6/5 f
2010 Baccalaureate The Yes No Wait Sorries Nigel Twiston-Davies 11-00 Paddy Brennan 100/1
2011 Local Hero Phil Martin Steve Gollings 11-04 Tony McCoy 15/8 f
2012 Grumeti* The McNeill Family Alan King 11-04 Wayne Hutchinson 7/4 jf
2013 Rolling Star Michael Buckley & Vestey Family Nicky Henderson 11-07 Barry Geraghty 5/2
2014 Le Rocher John White & Anne Underhill Nick Williams 11-07 Richard Johnson 2/1
2015 Peace And Co Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson 11-07 Barry Geraghty 4/9 f
2016 Protek Des Flos Potensis Bloodstock Ltd Nicky Henderson 11-00 Noel Fehily 25/1
2017 Defi Du Seuil J P McManus Philip Hobbs 11-07 Barry Geraghty 1/5 f
2018 Apple’s Shakira J P McManus Nicky Henderson 10-12 Barry Geraghty 1/7 f
2019 Fakir D'Oudairies M L Bloodstock Joseph O’Brien IRE 11-00 J J Slevin 4/1
2020 Galahad Quest Holt, Macnabb, Robinson & Jeffrey Nick Williams 11-0 Harry Cobden 6/1
2021 ABANDONED
2022 Pied Piper Caldwell Construction Ltd Gordon Elliott 11-0 Davy Russell 11/8F
2023 Comfort Zone John P McManus Joseph O'Brien 11-5 Jonjo O'Neill Jr 2/1F
2024 Sir Gino Mrs J Donnelly Nicky Henderson 11-5 James Bowen 5/4
2025 East India Dock The Gredley Family James Owen 11-5 Sam Twiston-Davies 1/2F

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