Kempton Saturday

BANBRIDGE (Joseph O’Brien/J.J. Slevin) impressed in getting the better of the ultra-consistent Pic d’Orhy (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) in the Grade 2 Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton on Saturday.

The eight-year-old is seen as ground dependent and was making his first start of the season having swerved a number of entries due to testing conditions, but he wasn’t lacking for fitness and got the better of the front-running Pic d’Orhy from the last to win by a length and three quarters at an SP of 3/1.

Banbridge was occasionally scruffy in his jumping but put in a good leap at the last, when most needed to seal victory, in a race marred by the fatal fall of Laura Morgan’s Notlongtillmay at the final fence.

Banbridge was cut from 10/1 to a general 5/1 for the Ryanair Chase, with owner Ronnie Bartlett confirming that race as his main target this spring.

Bartlett told Racing TV: “We were always looking for good ground for him and we got it today. He was maybe a wee bit rusty at times but we’re very happy – he put up a solid performance. He made a few mistakes but he’s been off the track for a long time, so it’s pretty exciting.

“He just seems to be very professional, he’s more mature, he’s got bigger and thicker and he’s just in a good way. He was very cool about travelling over here, he was relaxed and it was a good way to start the season.

“We’ve had him bubbling for a long time and there have been races we were going for but the ground wasn’t what we wanted, but Joseph said there is still some improvement to go and we’re happy with that.”

Coral Lanzarote Hurdle

JAY Jay Reilly popped up at 33/1 to provide Dan Skelton with back-to-back wins in the Lanzarote Hurdle after West Balboa triumphed in attritional conditions 12 months ago; with Harry Skelton in action at Warwick, the win also provided conditional jockey Tristan Durrell with a double on the day and the highlight of his career to date.

Waited with on the first circuit, the eight-year-old made progress from the third last flight and led before the next.

Hard pressed approaching the final obstacle by Nemean Lion (Kerry Lee/Richard Patrick), he produced much the better jump of the pair and, driven right out, hung on by a length and a quarter.

Favourite Impose Toi took third ahead of Good Luck Charm in a race which looks solid form despite the winner’s SP. Jay Jay Reilly was having his first race over hurdles for a couple of years but has a lower mark over timber and took advantage of that to get back to winning ways.

Durrell, who claims a 3lb allowance, had earlier steered Flegmatik to victory for the stable, and interviewed after the televised contest, replied:

“It’s unbelievable. Obviously, the best day of my career. I’ve never ridden a double before and a double on a big day like this is just unreal. To win the Lanzarote, it’s a big, competitive handicap, I’m just very grateful to Dan and the owners for putting me up and putting their trust in me. It’s nice to go and win.

“I had a nice bit of room, just followed Harry Cobden through and it couldn’t have worked out better for me. It’s funny, because he was a big price but at home, we all thought he had a good chance, as he’s never felt so well all year.”

Warwick Saturday

ON a sparkling day for the Dan Skelton yard, Grey Dawning proved the star by running out an impressive winner over Apple Away (Lucinda Russell/Patrick Wadge) in the Grade 2 Trustatrader Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick under stable jockey Harry Skelton.

Grey Dawning had won well at Haydock on his penultimate start when he had Apple Away back in third and, having looked a most unlucky loser at Cheltenham next time, was backed into 5/4 favouritism to make amends; he did not give his backers much worry this time as he sat just behind the strong pace set by Apple Away and Broadway Boy, before pouncing in the home straight as that pair tired.

Grey Dawning travelled well and took over from Apple Away at the penultimate fence and despite a mistake at the last, kept on very strongly to score by 14 lengths in a smart time for the conditions.

This looked one of the best performances of the season from a novice in Britain, and it was no surprise to see him slashed for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in March.

Assistant trainer Tom Messenger suggested that he may run again in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown next month before a Cheltenham plan is decided upon, and stressed that the aim was to provide him with plenty of experience in his first season over fences.

Comes alive

“You wouldn’t know how good this horse is and I couldn’t believe he won two bumpers, but he just comes alive at the track,” said winning rider Harry Skelton.

“Who knows where he might end up, but he’s very exciting and it was nice to see him win like that today.

“Apple Away and Broadway Boy went off on the front-end and I was able to just follow away and when we swung into the straight and got racing, he came alive.

“He had the race won and just pricked his ears. He went a bit left and he always does that. It’s gone really well and it’s nice to see him do that. He just sits behind the bridle a bit; he relaxes and is never keen. He’s so unassuming but when you get him to the track, he comes alive, so I think he will get any trip.”

MY Silver Lining (Emma Lavelle/James Best) put up an impressive jumping performance and clearly relished the step up in trip as she landed the Wigley Group Classic Chase by three-quarters of a length from Galia Des Liteaux (Dan/Harry Skelton), with the pair a dozen lengths clear of Guetapan Collonges in third. The winner was returned at 17/2.

With Credo filling the final place, this race was a real boon for the mares even though favourite Malina Girl had an off day.

It used to be rare to see mares in valuable staying chases, but the enhanced programme in recent years has seen more of them stay in training; this result would appear a justification of that programme, and while the Grade 3 title was done away with in favour of ‘Premier Handicap’ billing for races like this, My Silver Lining will still get the requisite blacktype status for this success.

She could go for the Midlands National on the Saturday after Cheltenham, according to her trainer.