Dan Skelton© Photo Healy Racing
Dan Skelton will gradually step Royal Infantry up in grade after he ran out a comfortable winner on his debut over hurdles in the first division of the Spectra Group “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle at Chepstow.
The five-year-old son of Soldier Of Fortune won a pair of bumpers last season, at Doncaster and Newbury, before heading to the Cheltenham Festival, where he was the first British horse home in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, finishing eighth to Willie Mullins’ Jasmin De Vaux.
Making his seasonal return at the Momouthshire track in the hands of Harry Skelton, the 4-9 favourite made all and was pushed out to come home a length and a quarter clear of Plantaroma.
Skelton – who has made a fine start in his bid for a first trainers’ championship – said: “It was a nice debut. He made a mistake at one down the back and he had a good blow afterwards, but I was delighted with how everything went.
“We’ll find him a novice under a penalty now and hopefully work him up the ladder.
“It was a nice first start over hurdles and I’m delighted to have it out of the way.”
The Skeltons came close to landing a double when Let It Rain took the runner-up spot in the Blacktalon Maiden Hurdle. A winner at Warwick and Ascot in bumpers at back end of the last year, the five-year-old found only 11-10 favourite French Ship too good for him.
Jurancon got off the mark over hurdles at the second time of asking in division two of the Spectra Group “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle.
Disguisedlimit set the early pace and pulled well clear, with evens favourite Jurancon and Tripoli Flyer leading the chase.
Jurancon and Tripoli Flyer took it up four from home, with the Jack Tudor-ridden five-year-old holding a two-length advantage going over the final flight and keeping on well to come home a length and a quarter clear of Fergal O’Brien’s Tripoli Flyer, with the rest over 40 lengths adrift.
Another with winning bumper form, the David Pipe-trained Jurancon was beaten by Kim Bailey’s The Kemble Brewery at Worcester on his debut over obstacles, but came on for the run to claim a third victory under rules.
Tudor told Sky Sports Racing: “He’s pretty talented. I think we bumped into a very good horse the first day, but I had to make the running and he was very green and we went no gallop and had to quicken which isn’t really his scene.
“So maybe getting beat the first time might have been a blessing and he came here today and did it nicely.
“He loves proper slow ground. It was only good to soft here today, but he’s just a good horse and he’s got a lot of ability and we’re looking forward to him.”
Gavin Sheehan secured a late 229-1 double when taking the final two races on the card.
He partnered Debra Hamer’s Hedera Park (22-1) in the Lucky Lev Handicap Hurdle before joining forces with It’s Top (9-1) to land the closing Ukraine Open National Flat Race for Oliver Signy.
