VALGRAND put up a sparkling display of jumping to win the Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday and lower the colours of 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 in the summer, but this Grade 2 assignment represented a completely different test.

Not least coming up against the prolific Gale Mahler, who had been over to Ireland in the summer to win at the Galway Festival and the strength of that form saw her go off the 4/5 favourite for trainer Adrian Keatley.

Harry Skelton bounced Valgrand into an early lead and he was allowed to do pretty much as he pleased, as although Henry Brooke was keen not to let him get too far ahead aboard Gale Mahler, her jumping was nowhere near as slick as the leader’s.

Racing down to three out Valgrand met it on the perfect stride while Gale Mahler got in tight and all of a sudden the Skelton runner was five lengths clear.

The 3/1 chance fairly bounded up the hill to win by a yawning 17 lengths from Gale Mahler, who to her credit stuck on for second.

A five-year-old by Bathyrhon, Valgrand was a a €35,000 purchase at the Goffs Land Rover Sale from Micheál Conaghan’s Evergreen Stud.

Skelton said: “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, because we didn’t want him to have unnecessary hard races and I think that was the making of him.

“He’s taken me by surprise a little bit, I thought he could win today but I thought the mare would be very hard to beat. I think we can’t take the form too literally as she’s probably run a bit 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, we shouldn’t forget that either, but to put up the performance he did from the back of three out to the line was very taking.”

He added: “We need to go and see another race, just to make sure that wasn’t a fluke.”

Progressive

“We always thought he could be quite good and could be progressive, so if we can get another run in like that in another novice we could be dreaming.

“We’ll keep our feet and his feet on the floor for a minute and see what’s what. That (Supreme) could definitely be a target, but there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge.” Keatley was not making any excuses for the beaten Gale Mahler, who now looks set for a rise in trip.

He said: “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’re probably looking like we need to step right back up in trip to two and a half or two-five. Initially you’re going to be disappointed obviously because there was so much hype about her and she was so short in the betting you’re nearly expecting to win.

“We’ll go home and regroup and to finish second in a Grade 2 is not a bad effort.”

Calico gave Dan Skelton a valuable success in the £100,000 squareintheair.com Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, as his pursuit of a so-far elusive first trainers’ championship gathers pace.

Having come so close only to be denied by Willie Mullins winning both the Grand National and the Scottish equivalent last season, Skelton has been quick to grab an early advantage.

GAVIN Cromwell famously trained at least one winner at every Cheltenham fixture between October and the Festival last season, with one exception, and he started the new season in typical form when Path D’Oroux justified 8/15 favouritism in the William Hill Novices’ Chase over two miles. The market leader had to work hard, but at the finish had a head to spare over Jazzy Matty (17/2).

Cromwell said: “That was a great start and I’m delighted for the horse. He got a lot of experience last year without winning and came into this race with no penalty.

“It was a messy race and they went very slow before it turned into a sprint. We decided to start here with him at the end of last season.

“I’m not sure where he’ll go next. Today was the plan and we hadn’t thought beyond that really.

“It’s always great just to have a runner at Cheltenham let alone a winner and the owners always love coming here.”

The concluding race on Friday, the Abu Dhabi Digital Markets Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, also saw an Irish-trained winner in the shape of Impero (6/1), trained by Cian Collins and ridden by Danny Gilligan.

ANOTHER trainer to enjoy two winners on the Friday card was locally-based Nigel Twiston-Davies.

Following the success of The Newest One (Mr Toby McCain-Mitchell, 10/1) in the Glenfarclas Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase, Potters Charm (Sam Twiston-Davies, 6/5 favourite) brought up a double for the stable after an eye-catching two-and-a-quarter length victory in the Alastair Down Press Room Novices’ Hurdle.

Willy Twiston-Davies, representing his father, said: “I thought if it was soft ground today he would definitely win. He is very good on soft ground so it was a bit of a worry with good ground. I think he won today in spite of the ground and trip – he will eventually be a three-miler. He is still learning on the job and at home. He races behind the bridle quite lazily, but every time Sam asked him, he came.

“We haven’t had one like this for a while I think. He’ll only do as much as he’s asked at home and that is the sign of a very good horse. There is no rush with him. Everything he does at home pleases me and Dad a lot. He is still an unfurnished horse and I promise that you have not seen anywhere near the best of him yet.”

Potters Charm is owned by the El Rincon Syndicate, headed up by Ged Mason.

Mason, who has the majority of his horses with Paul Nicholls said: “El Rincon is a group of friends including many who have not been in racing before and they have had the day of their lives today. Sir Alex Ferguson is also involved and is nice to see the smile on new owners coming into the sport.

“Willy found the horse and encouraged us, so it’s testimony to the hard work of everyone at the yard.

“When it was my 60th birthday, we were all in a Spanish restaurant in Manchester called El Rincon. Willy was there and Paul was there. We ended up with Willy as Paul had gone home! Willy talked us into taking two horses – if Paul had stayed we might have sent two to him!”