Celtic Dino wasted no time in hitting his early-season stride when taking the DragonBet ‘Welsh Champion’ Hurdle at Chepstow.
The Sam Thomas-trained six-year-old was positioned at Graded stage final season for proprietor Dai Walters, an ideal supporter of Welsh racing who gained the race 12 months in the past with Lump Sum.
The identical proprietor, coach and jockey mixture teamed up this time with Celtic Dino, who Dylan Johnston steered to a two-and-a-quarter-length success because the 6-4 favorite.
“We’ve had no runners all summer, every single season I question myself as to whether we’ve done enough with them but this a huge credit to the team at home and to Dai for supporting me as always,” Thomas instructed Sky Sports activities Racing.
“He is an out-and-out two-miler, these are his situations – the faster the higher.
“I think we might just give him a run on that type of ground, give him a mid-season break and then bring him back for a spring campaign until the end of the season.”
The profitable rider added: “I most likely obtained there a bit too quickly however to be truthful to the horse, he is a relentless galloper.
“He felt like a very different horse to last year, I rode him one day at Ascot last year on dead ground and it just takes that x-factor away from him.
“Sam and I had been simply saying to the boss (Walters), perhaps he is one for the Preventing Fifth on good floor after which he ought to perhaps be put away.
“We learned our lesson last year, we ran him up at Aintree and he just wasn’t the same horse.”
Speculatrix made a visit over from Gordon Elliott’s yard in Eire worthwhile when taking the Listed Tom Malone Bloodstock Novices’ Chase below Sean Bowen.
The mare was looking for black-type kind and duly gained it, profitable by two and a half lengths at 5-2 to defeat 8-13 favorite Doyen Quest.
“I got in tight to the last but luckily Harry (Skelton, aboard Doyen Quest) was tight into it as well and we were away then,” Bowen stated.
“She was coming over to get her black type, she’s obviously a decent mare but she’s no black type.
“She’s a Listed winner now so she’s much more worthwhile once more.”
Elsewhere on the cardboard, the Skelton workforce struck with Settle Down Jill, winner of the DragonBet/EBF Mares’ Nationwide Hunt Novices Hurdle because the evens favorite for coach Dan and rider Harry.
Saint Segal scored for Jane Williams and Ciaran Gethings within the DragonBet John Ayres Memorial Handicap Chase, which he gained by 4 and three-quarter lengths because the 10-11 favorite.
Harry Derham’s Washington took the dragonbet.co.uk Born From The Betting Ring Seniors’ Handicap Hurdle below Paul O’Brien at 2-1, with the Wasdell Group Open Nationwide Hunt Flat Race gained by 15-2 probability Black Eddy for Toby Bulgin and Tom Cannon.
