Betfair Chase
 QuinnBet
Grade 1, Haydock Park 15:00
 £200,000 guaranteed,
5yo plus,
3m 1f 125y, Class 1  
Saturday 22nd November 2025

1 Grey Dawning 10/11F
2 Royal Pagaille 18/1
3 Stellar Story 14/1
5 ran Distances: 2¾l, 11l, ½l
Time: 6m 36.98s (slow by 3.98s)

Grey Dawning, guided with the sort of composed assurance that has become Harry Skelton’s hallmark, turned the tables on Royale Pagaille to give Dan Skelton yet another Haydock highlight. Twelve months on from their narrow defeat in a stirring duel with the same rival, there was a sense from early on that this time the script might be different. Skelton was in no hurry aboard the 10-11 favourite, content to let Handstands and Royale Pagaille press on together as they rolled past the stands and out for their final circuit.

Behind them, Haiti Couleurs never landed a blow and Stellar Story likewise found the tempo too warm, leaving a familiar trio to sort matters out once the race began to tighten. Charlie Deutsch nudged Royale Pagaille into a narrow lead with Handstands coming under pressure from Ben Jones, but the watching brief Harry Skelton had adopted was about to pay dividends. Three out, Royale Pagaille still held sway, yet Grey Dawning was stalking him with ominous ease, Skelton motionless as he moved to his shoulder. By two out the favourite had drawn level, and down to the last he almost toyed with last year’s winner before powering clear to score by two and three-quarter lengths.

The victory carried an added emotional weight, coming less than 48 hours after the birth of Harry Skelton’s daughter. As the crowd chorused in appreciation, Dan Skelton took a moment to absorb it all, saying: “It’s been a phenomenal day. I’ll never forget when Protektorat won this too, they are special moments.

“Owners are the lifeblood of this sport and to give Robert Kirkland a day like this is special. Leaving here last year I was sick as I’d never been so convinced a horse would win – and he lost. It felt like one that got away.

“I’m proud of the whole team, but I’m most proud of Grey Dawning, he had such a hard race last year he could have cried off but not him, 365 days later he’s back to do it again.

“He had such a grueller last year he could have left his whole season, but I got him back for Kelso and Aintree and only Gaelic Warrior could beat him at Aintree.

“I think he might just have one more run before the Gold Cup, I don’t know where, probably the Cotswold Chase if the ground isn’t too bad or he could even go straight there.

“I know the public don’t really want to hear that but he can’t go right-handed so he can’t run in the King George, the race for Protektorat is Windsor (Fleur De Lys Chase) so he can’t go there and the Denman is too close. Maybe he could go to Ireland, we’ll see.

“I do think he’s a contender for the Gold Cup, I have huge respect for the favourite (Inothewayurthinkin) and we have to step up again, but they’ll have seen that today and maybe think we are players.”

Reflecting on his brother’s composed ride, he added: “It’s been a really full-on 48 hours for Harry, he’d love to be with his new baby right now but he’s been a thorough professional.

“Ten years ago he might have kicked on at the top of the straight, but he was taking a pull two out today.

“Harry’s got a lot of experience now, but also he knows if he makes a mistake we don’t hold it against each other.”

Harry Skelton himself spoke with the satisfaction of a long-held plan finally coming good: “It’s taken 365 days for him to come and show people what he really can do.

“Last year just didn’t work out when the heavens opened, but today he was brilliant. Clare and Tom (Messenger) our assistant who rides him out every day – they look after him and got him in shape for me to go out and enjoy that.

“It’s all been going on – we had the birth of our daughter, Anna. I’m really proud of Bridget and just really looking forward to getting home to be honest!

“Sportsmen are used to everything, high emotions, but when your wife gives birth and they are all all right that’s all that matters.”

For Venetia Williams, there was pride in defeat as Royale Pagaille once again ran his heart out on ground not quite to his liking. “He’s amazing and you have to be thrilled,” she said.

“We will probably wait with him now and come back here for the Peter Marsh in January.

“It wasn’t his ground today so he’s had to go out and make it because he couldn’t allow it to become a sprint like the graduation race was earlier.

“So he’s had to do it the hard way. He jumped spectacularly and still had a chance halfway up the run-in.”

A year on from the one that slipped away, Grey Dawning reclaimed the stage with style, and the Skelton team left Haydock with the sense of a circle completed.

Betfair Chase (registered as the Lancashire Chase)
£200,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 1f 125y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1     Grey Dawning 8 11-10 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 10/11F
2 2¾ Royale Pagaille 11 11-10 Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch 18/1
3 11 vStellar Story 8 11-10 Gordon Elliott Sam Ewing 14/1
4 ½ Handstands 6 11-10 Ben Pauling Ben Jones 4/1
PU Haiti Couleurs 8 11-10 Rebecca Curtis Sean Bowen 3/1

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