Warwick Racecourse: doubles for Skeltons and Ben Pauling on Thursday
There was plenty of equine talent showcased at Warwick Racecourse on Thursday afternoon, with some promising young horses across the seven-race card.
Those who took the majority of the spoils, though, were the Alcester-based trainer-jockey combination brothers Dan and Harry Skelton, alongside Ben Pauling, all of whom celebrated doubles on the day.
Read on for a full report of the Warwick card, courtesy of Betano, who provide all the latest horse racing odds ..
Race one was a fillies’ two-mile juvenile hurdle (12.25). The Skelton team had the favourite here, Made U Blush, but the filly was unable to finish as strongly as Max Comley’s Cloaks Of Gold, who kept on well to win by over three lengths to runner-up Miss Carbo. The favourite finished back in third, beaten 10 lengths in total.
The second race was a maiden hurdle run over two miles and five furlongs (12.55). Here, the Skeltons had their first of two winners with the favourite, Moneygarrow. The five-year-old made all to win by an impressive seven lengths, despite having faced a challenge at the second last hurdle. Step Ahead was second, followed by 50/1 outsider Warriors Destiny in third.
Team Skelton were on a roll and saw another winning representative in race three, a two-mile novices’ handicap chase (1.25). Harry Derham’s Norn Iron was the main fancy at 15/8 but he weakened after the final fence, allowing the Skelton’s Chuggy to keep his lead and go 12 lengths clear, winning totally unchallenged. The favourite was second, followed in by Old Cowboy in third.
Race four was a Listed Mares’ Novices’ Chase over two and a half miles (1.55). Ben Pauling had his first of two winners here in the shape of Diva Luna, who justified favouritism by making all in the three-runner race, going clear before the second last obstacle and staying on to win by over three lengths. Blue Las was second and Wyenot was a distant third.
Next we had a handicap hurdle run over two miles and five furlongs (2.25). Tom Lacey’s Marlacoo was the 11/8 favourite and ran a good race, but was no match for the eventual winner; Gary and Josh Moore’s Caoilin Quinn-ridden Yellow Star, who proved his double-figure odds of 16/1 wrong as he won readily by four lengths to Libre De Choeur in second.
The penultimate race was a three-mile handicap chase (2.55). Richard Hobson’s Jupiter Des Bordes justified his top price of 3/1 here as he duelled home with House Of Habsburg, with whom he went 26 lengths clear of the rest. In the end, Jupiter Des Bordes won by just a head. The third home was Star Of Diamonds.
Last of all was a bumper (3.25). Ben Pauling celebrated his double here as 12/1 shot Old Clayesmorian kept on to beat the 11/4 Cheap Sandwiches by over two lengths. The 2/1 favourite, Tandy’s Bridge, was a distant last, beaten over 47 lengths.