Dan Skelton secures fastest century of winners in a season

ON an afternoon of drama, Alcester trainer Dan Skelton made it 100 winners for the season when Sam Red and William Marshall came with a storming finish to land the Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase, writes David Hucker.

Earlier, Skelton had seen One For Billy, ridden by his brother Harry, run out halfway up the Cheltenham hill when challenging leader Diakali but, this time, fortune was on his side, as the grey Oighear Dubh also dived out to his left through the taped running rail, leaving the way clear for Sam Red to nail Fifty Shades and Presenting Julio close home.

“It’s been an unbelievable day,” said an emotional Skelton welcoming back his winner.

“We set out to have a good summer and to get 100 winners is a great result for the whole team.”

Skelton was recording the earliest century in jump racing history, beating Martin Pipe’s achievement in 2001/02 when his hundred came up on November 3rd.

He added: "There is a long way to go before you can hold a candle to a man like him (Martin Pipe). It was always going to be beaten as there wasn't as much summer racing in his day. Time moves on and records change.

"Of course it does mean more to have the 100th winner at Cheltenham."