3 minute read

Grey Dawning bounced back to winning ways with an emphatic success in the Trustatrader Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick.

The progressive Dan Skelton-trained charge looked unlucky not to score at Cheltenham last start, having made a significant error at the second last.

Harry Skelton was happy to sit off the strong gallop set by impressive Leicester winner Apple Away for the majority of the three-mile Grade 2 prize. Broadway Boy soon came under pressure as the field turned for home and it quickly became apparent that Grey Dawning was travelling much the best. A brief shake of the reigns by Harry Skelton soon saw Grey Dawning claim a commanding advantage and although the final two flights were by far from his smoothest jumps of the round, the pair held a clear advantage up the Warwick straight.

The front-running Apples Away kept on to fill the silver medal position but Lucinda Russell's mare was no match for the well-backed 5/4 favourite, who finished fourteen lengths clear of his rivals crossing the line.

Betfair cut to winner to 10/1 from 16s for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.

"You wouldn't know how good this horse is and I couldn't believe he won two bumpers, but he just comes alive at the track," said winning rider Harry Skelton.

"Who knows where he might end up, but he's very exciting and it was nice to see him win like that today.

"Apple Away and Broadway Boy went off on the front-end and I was able to just follow away and when we swung into the straight and got racing, he came alive.

"He had the race won and just pricked his ears. He went a bit left, and he always does that. It's gone really well and it's nice to see him do that.

"I really think he could get any trip and the way he races; he just sits behind the bridle a bit, he relaxes and is never keen. He's so unassuming but when you get him to the track, he comes alive, so I think he will get any trip."

With trainer Dan Skelton on holiday in Barbados, it was left to assistant Tom Messenger to handle the media at Warwick this afternoon.

"He's so unassuming and you don't think he is going anywhere, then Harry wakes him up and he comes alive, and he put it to bed really quickly in what I think was a really competitive race," said Messenger.

"We will really enjoy today, and he obviously won on the card last year in the Leamington Spa. We always thought he would be a good chaser and barring a mistake at Cheltenham last time, he has been foot-perfect so far, so we're delighted.

"We may go to the Scilly Isles at Sandown if that is the right thing to do and he comes out of this all right, then he will have a couple of entries at Cheltenham, and we will see. It's really exciting.

"He's had a few runs this year and Dan has always been keen to get him experience. If he's the horse we think he might be next season, then he has to get experience and when he goes up against the big boys this year and next year, we want that to be with some experience under his belt.

"Dan has rung me and was very excited. I hadn't heard from him all day, but I did then."