Valgrand and Harry Skelton© Photo Healy Racing
Valgrand put up a sparking display of jumping to win the Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and lower the colours of the previously unbeaten Gale Mahler in the process.
Trained by Dan Skelton and owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, Valgrand had won his first two outings over hurdles in lesser company in the summer, but this Grade Two assignment represented a completely different test.
Not least coming up against the prolific Gale Mahler, who had been over to Ireland in the summer to win at the Galway Festival and the strength of that form saw her go off the 4-5 favourite for Adrian Keatley.
Harry Skelton bounced Valgrand into an early lead and he was allowed to do pretty much as he pleased, as although Henry Brooke was keen not to let him get too far ahead aboard Gale Mahler, her jumping was nowhere near as slick as the leader’s.
Racing down to three out Valgrand met it on the perfect stride while Gale Mahler got in tight and all of a sudden the Skelton runner was five lengths clear.
The 3-1 chance fairly bounded up the hill to win by a yawning 17 lengths from Gale Mahler, who to her credit stuck on for second.
Skelton said: “He didn’t get beaten up last season and the owners were very patient with him. He ran at this meeting last year when he finished second in the bumper and we didn’t run him again until Aintree.
“We avoided bad ground, not because he wouldn’t go on it because we didn’t want him to have unnecessary hard races and I think that was the making of him.
“He’s taken me by surprise a little bit, I thought he could win today but I thought the mare would be very hard to beat. I think we can’t take the form too literally as she’s probably run a bit below her best after a busy summer, but our horse stays very well and jumps very well.
“He got the run of things out in front, we shouldn’t forget that either, but to put up the performance he did from the back of three out to the line was very taking.”
Paddy Power make Valgrand a 40-1 shot for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March, but Skelton is keen not to get too carried away at this early stage of the season.
He added: “We need to go and see another race, just to make sure that wasn’t a fluke.
“We always thought he could be quite good and could be progressive, so if we can get another run in like that in another novice we could be dreaming.
“We’ll keep out feet and his feet on the floor for a minute and see what’s what. That (Supreme) could definitely be a target, but there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge.”
Keatley was not making any excuses for the beaten Gale Mahler, who now looks set for a rise in trip.
He said: “Turning in I thought she was going to be fourth, but she stayed on to be a good second.
“The winner could be anything and we’re probably looking like we need to step right back up in trip to two and a half or two-five.
“Initially you’re going to be disappointed obviously because there was so much hype about her and she was so short in the betting you’re nearly expecting to win.
“We’ll go home and regroup and to finish second in a Grade Two is not a bad effort.”
