Dedicated Hero reigns supreme as Royal Infantry misfires

Dan Skelton was almost lost for words having watched his 1-4 favourite Royal Infantry finish only fourth behind Dedicated Hero in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.

Previously one of the UK’s main hopes for the Cheltenham Festival opener, he is now out to as big as 66-1 with some bookmakers.

He had fared best of the Brits in eighth in the Champion Bumper last March and had won both his starts over hurdles, but he was in trouble three furlongs from home on this occasion and Harry Skelton had accepted defeat by the last.

There were three in a line jumping the last but all the momentum was with Sandy Thomson’s Dedicated Hero (6-1), who swamped Cloonainra and Peacenik to win by half a length.

Grand National winner Ryan Mania was on board and said: “We always knew he was a nice horse but today was about finding out just how good.

“I was niggling at the end of the straight because he found the track a bit sharp but he stayed on all the way to the line. I kept getting squeezed, but he dropped back enough to switch out and once he got a bit of daylight, he was away. I just hope Ruby Walsh wasn’t watching because I dropped my whip!

“The original plan was the Premier Hurdle at Kelso, as he’s won twice there, and then maybe Aintree – we haven’t really talked about Cheltenham. This is great for Sandy and the team. We’ve been missing a really good one since Seeyouatmidnight and hopefully this lad can nearly get there.”

Dan Skelton said of the beaten favourite: “He was hanging a bit left and didn’t travel so well down the back, it’s just one of those days.

“Harry said he was a bit keen after making the running last time but it was nothing dramatic.

“He put himself in a difficult spot two out and from that point it was unrecoverable.

“Fair play to the ones that have beaten us, they’ve done very well. Nothing looks horrendous, he’s just underperformed, but it is a bad day to underperform.”

Margaret’s Legacy (9-4) made it two from two for Warren Greatrex in the Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap Chase.

Greatrex, who is enjoying a good spell at present, admitted he is presented with challenges by the eight-year-old but currently he is handling them with aplomb.

He held off Ned Tanner by two and a quarter lengths to give Harry Bannister a nice winner.

“He was with Tim Vaughan but came to me with Tim’s blessing, the owners still have horses with Tim,” said Greatrex.

“He has his issues and his jumping scares me to death but Harry says it doesn’t feel too bad on board!

“Tim struggled to get him fit but we’ve got a swimming pool and he spends a lot of time in that, which helps. There’s no doubt he’s got a serious engine.”

Dianne Sayer’s Bertie’s Ballet (13-2) is a Haydock regular and claimed a second course victory in the Sky Bet Acca Freeze Handicap Hurdle.

“We’ve been looking after him and building his confidence but today was the day he had to become a man,” said Sayer.

“I’m now training out of Stoneriggs (Cumbria), where my mum (Evelyn Slack) and Ken (Slack) trained.

“This is my first runner since the move, so for him to win, I’m over the moon.”

Solar System (7-2 favourite) continued the good recent run of Philip Hobbs and Johnson White in the Sky Bet Club Handicap Hurdle.

Micheal Nolan was on board the JP McManus-owned six-year-old, who managed to stay ahead of the handicapper despite a 4lb rise for a win at Ludlow.

He needed to survive a stewards’ inquiry after getting close to I Am Max and the winning distance was only a short head.

Nolan said: “He travelled very well and jumped super. He’s very keen but he is starting to relax.

“When he goes over fences, he’ll be seen to better effect again.

“We got a bit close near the line but it was just tight racing.”

Uncle Bert (10-1) looks much happier over the smaller obstacles and landed his fifth win in the Sky Bet Cheltenham Non-Runner No Bet Handicap Hurdle, his third for conditional James Turner.

He said of Nigel Twiston-Davies’ eight-year-old: “I’ve got a good strike-rate on him. He’s done it nicely – three miles, he just keeps going. It’s easy on him, bounce him out and he just keeps going.

“I was very confident he’d keep going. In the second half of the race, I thought he was going too well and I was probably there too soon, but he was tough.”