Thrilling finish as racing returns to Warwick Racecourse

Ridden by James Best and owned by his mother-in-law Celia Djivanovic, the Emma Lavelle trained grey mare had set sail for home up the straight, but she started to tread water after the final fence as Harry Skelton galvanised Galia Des Liteaux to close the gap.

The post came just in time for the 17/2 shot My Silver Lining to deliver victory for Best who described it as “the best day of my career.”

Despite the narrow defeat of Galia Des Liteaux, it proved an afternoon to remember for Warwickshire trainer Dan Skelton who had six winners across the country, starting with the opener at Warwick in which his Etalon was never out of first gear to beat sole rival Salamanca Bay.

Diamond Ri, runner-up on his hurdles debut to Insurrection at Exeter, was another winning favourite, taking the Wigley Support Fund “National Hunt “Maiden Hurdle in style before the 11 year-old J'Ai Froid, who had been in a battle with hat-trick seeking Kyntara from the start, prevailed by ¾ length in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

Another on a hat-trick was the progressive Broadway Boy in the Grade 2 Trustatrader Hampton Novices' Chase, but it was Skelton's Grey Dawning who was preferred in the market. Punters got it spot on, as Grey Dawning jumped past leader Apple Away at the penultimate fence, striding away to win impressively by 14 lengths with Paddy Power shortening her from 16-1 to 10-1 for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Jonathan Burke once again showcased his riding talents when bringing Sam Brown to collar long-time leader Aye Right at the final fence and land the £75,000 Unibet Veterans' Handicap Chase and Bill Joyce, a £225,000 purchase after winning his sole Irish point-to-point, made all the running to take the closing National Hunt Flat Race.

There is racing at the course again next Monday (22nd) starting at 1.45pm.