Skeltons takes showpiece race on Warwick's Kids Carnvial Day
HORSE RACING
BLAIRS Cove, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by his brother Harry, landed the feature Qatar Airways Handicap Chase in front of another big crowd at Warwick’s Kids Carnival Day on Monday, writes David Hucker.
Alcester-based Skelton chalked up 205 winners last season and was quickly out of the blocks with a double on the opening day of the new campaign on Saturday and continued his form in the first of four meetings that make up the Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival.
Blairs Cove, a warm 6-5 favourite, jumped to the front down the back straight and had no trouble in seeing off the challenge of Royal Supremo and Nikki Steel.
The day hadn’t started well for Skelton, however, as his Ferrobin, an early race faller on his previous start at Stratford, was beaten when sent off the 8-15 favourite in the opening Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and three furlongs.
Taken straight into the lead, a good jump at the third-last flight seemed to have given him a winning advantage but, turning for home, Smith’s Bay started to make progress and closed the leader down approaching the final jump. He came away the quicker and, with Ferrobin not looking the easiest of rides on the run-in, ran on well to post an eight-length win.
Winning trainer Alan King and jockey Wayne Hutchinson looked to have a good chance of doubling up in the following Introducing Racing TV “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle with Colditz Castle, runner-up on his previous start at Wincanton. The writing was on the wall, however, when they started to lose ground coming to the end of the back straight and it was Buck’s Bin’s who led the field turning for home.
But, he had no answer to the challenge of Golden Taipan, brought with a well-timed run by Paddy Brennan to lead approaching the last.
His win set up a double for trainer Fergal O’Brien completed by Phoebus Lescribaa in the concluding Agetur UK Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
Phoebus Lescribaa was left clear when Stubborn Logic crashed out at the third-last flight and came home the easiest winner of the afternoon with Conor Brace, beating Hillview Ladd by 11 lengths.
Jaboticaba was all the rage in the betting market for the Join Racing TV Now Novices’ Handicap Chase, shortening from 6-4 into 11-10 favourite. He came to challenge leader Kilcara over the final two fences, but a bad mistake at the last cost him whatever chance he had and Kilcara who, by contrast had drifted in the betting from 9-2 to 13-2, went clear on the run-in to score a four-length success in the hands of conditional jockey Rex Dingle.
Longest race of the afternoon was the Follow @racingtv On Twitter Handicap Hurdle over three miles and one furlong and it produced the closest finish with less than a length between the first three home. It went to Telson Barley, who jumped to the front at the final flight, holding off the late challenge of Taaffes Castle and Blackmill, who has been prominent throughout the race.
Favourite Urtheonethatiwant was held up at the back by Matt Griffiths, as he had done when winning at Exeter last time, but made mistakes at the final two flights in the back straight when looking to make a run, finishing tailed off in last place.
After riding Burbank to victory in the second race at Kempton Park, jockey Jeremiah McGrath made the dash to Warwick in time to partner Passing Dream in the Bet At racingtv.com Handicap Hurdle and, despite drifting to the right on the run-in, the mare recorded back-to-back victories, beating Champagne Mist and Atlantic Storm.
