Late drama sees delight for Alcester-based Dan and Harry Skelton at Stratford
MEDYAF pulled off a dramatic victory for Alcester handler Dan Skelton at Stratford Racecourse on Monday.
The Recycling UK Juvenile Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) was run over two miles and half a furlong and long time leader La Breille looked on course for success.
However, after unseating Harry Bannister over the last, Medyaf stormed through to claim an emphatic 33-length success for Dan and Harry Skelton.
Medyaf had made the switch to Skelton's yard on 27th September and the three-year-old was making his first run after a 255-day break.
The seven-race card got under way with the feature Recycling Association Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase over two miles and six-and-a-half furlongs.
Shetland Bus, who came into the fixture on the back of three straight third-placed finishes, was prominent throughout and ran on strongly to record a three-and-a-half length success from 3-1 shot Templehills.
The Newport Recycling Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race), run over two miles and half a furlong, attracted the largest field of the day with 12 entries and it was 6-1 shot Master Dancer, making a first run in England after five outings in France, who came out on top by three lengths.
Seven ran in the Re-Gen Waste Management Novices' Handicap Chase and in the closest finish of the day, Jack Thunder, who had finished fourth at Market Rasen 64 days previously, pipped 3-1 favourite Time To Bite to the line by one-and-three-quarter lengths.
Ballintubber Boy, who had not been since a sixth-placed finish at Exeter on 5th April, marked his return after a 181-day break with a comfortable 11-length success in the Ecogen Recycling Handicap Hurdle for the father and son team of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies.
The theme of horses winning on their return to racing after lengthy breaks continued in the penultimate race of the meeting, CS Recycling Novices' Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race), in which 8-11 favourite Dream In The Park, making a first appearance in 238 days, won for the first time for Marlborough-based trainer Emma Lavelle.
Favourite backers would have had something to cheer about in the concluding Winfibre Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race) over two miles and half a furlong, as 5-2 shot Kayf Legend, making just his second run, claimed a four-length success.
Stratford's next meeting, their penultimate of the season, takes place on Saturday, 15th October.
The final fixture will be held on Thursday, 27th October.
