Skybet Supreme Novices' Hurdle Trial |
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| Grade 2, Cheltenham 15:00 £55,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 87yds, Class 1  |
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1 Valgrand 3/1
2 Gale Mahler 4/5F
3 Dancing In Paris 18/1
6 ran Distances: 17l, ¾l, 5½l
Time: 3m 52.03s (slow by 3.03s)
SERIOUS PERFORMANCE THIS 👀
— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) October 25, 2024
VALGRAND has jumped impeccably all the way round and doesn't see another rival in the Sharp's Novices' Hurdle 👏
🎬 @RacingTV pic.twitter.com/gcIfFlg8jK
Valgrand put on a dazzling display of jumping, defeating the previously unbeaten Gale Mahler in the process. Trained by Dan Skelton and owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, Valgrand had won his first two outings over hurdles in lesser company during the summer, but this Grade Two race posed a completely different challenge.
Facing the prolific Gale Mahler, who had won at the Galway Festival in Ireland over the summer and was the 4-5 favorite for Adrian Keatley, was no easy task. Harry Skelton quickly took Valgrand into an early lead and controlled the pace, while Gale Mahler’s jumping couldn't match Valgrand's slickness.
Heading to three out, Valgrand met it perfectly while Gale Mahler struggled, allowing Valgrand to gain a five-length lead. The 3-1 shot powered up the hill to win by an impressive 17 lengths, with Gale Mahler holding on for second.
Skelton praised the horse's performance, saying, “He didn’t get beaten up last season and the owners were very patient with him. He ran at this meeting last year when he finished second in the bumper and we didn’t run him again until Aintree. We avoided bad ground, not because he wouldn’t go on it, but to avoid unnecessary hard races, and that was the making of him. He’s taken me by surprise a bit; I thought he could win today, but I thought the mare would be very hard to beat. We can’t take the form too literally as she probably ran below her best after a busy summer, but our horse stays very well and jumps very well. He got the run of things out in front, but his performance from three out to the line was very impressive.”
Paddy Power has made Valgrand a 40-1 shot for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March, but Skelton is cautious about getting too excited early in the season. “We need to see another race to ensure that wasn’t a fluke. We always thought he could be quite good and progressive, so if he can replicate this in another novice, we could start dreaming. We’ll keep our feet on the ground for now and see what happens. The Supreme could definitely be a target, but there’s a lot to come.”
Keatley did not make any excuses for Gale Mahler, who now looks set for a step up in trip. “Turning in, I thought she was going to be fourth, but she stayed on to be a good second. The winner could be anything, and we probably need to step her up to two and a half or two-five. Initially, there was a lot of hype around her, and she was short in the betting, so you’re nearly expecting to win. We’ll go home, regroup, and to finish second in a Grade Two is still a good effort.”
Sky Bet Novices' Hurdle
(Registered As The Sharp Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 2)
£55,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 87y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Valgrand 5 11-2 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 3/1
2 17 Gale Mahler 5 11-0 Adrian Paul Keatley Henry Brooke 4/5F
3 ¾ Dancing In Paris 4 11-1 Ian Williams Charlie Todd 18/1
4 5½ Brave Knight 4 11-1 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 11/2
5 5½ Imaginarium 5 11-2 Olly Murphy Sean Bowen 16/1
6 6½ Strong Foundations 5 11-2 Samuel Drinkwater Robert Dunne 33/1
