Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud turned the Shloer Chase right into a procession when operating out a wide-margin winner over the hat-trick-seeking Jonbon at Cheltenham.
Run in howling wind and rain, there was nowhere to cover, as Matata, Jonbon and the eventual winner by no means gave one another any peace.
That may have been setting it up for one to return from behind, however Libberty Hunter was an early faller and Edwardstone by no means regarded like getting concerned.
Harry Skelton on the eventual 100-30 winner was eager there was to be no let-up and cruised upsides as if to show how properly he was going, and some sluggish leaps quickly meant Jonbon was on the again foot.
Coming down the hill Skelton allowed himself a protracted look over his shoulder however within the gathering gloom, he was up to now away from Jonbon he might not have seen him.
L’Eau Du Sud breezed on by Matata handing over and was allowed to coast dwelling in his personal time. JJ Slevin labored wonders to remain on Matata after a nasty mistake on the final, however it value him second, permitting Jonbon to keep up his report of by no means ending outdoors the primary two however 15 lengths adrift.
Dan Skelton mentioned: “Possibly the situations have made him look actually good in the present day, however we acquired him prepared for in the present day as we wanted to know the place he stands. Whether or not he acquired beat by Jonbon or not we have been hopeful in the present day was a profession greatest, and it was.
“I was hoping we could take the step forward, but you can never be sure. Looking at today he’s clearly improved
“I am not very pleased with myself for operating at Warwick within the Kingmaker earlier than the Arkle because it took so much out of him and that is why he wasn’t at his greatest at Cheltenham. I did not need to say it on the time as it could have gave the impression of an excuse, however that is up to now and hopefully we are able to make it up now.
“I am not afraid of operating novices they usually need to exit and run to study what to do. Possibly these defeats within the spring have helped flip him into the person he has turn out to be in the present day and naturally there are positives to all of it.
“We’ll look forward to the future now with a real good two-miler now. He’ll go straight to the Tingle Creek and maybe after last year straight to the Champion Chase. I wouldn’t leave the door completely shut on the Clarence House at Ascot, but he’s had a harder race than it looked today because that ground is pretty hard work.”
He added: “It was probably hard to foresee that and I thought we could win but we needed an under-performance from Jonbon and I think that’s what we saw, he didn’t travel like him. He’s not getting any younger and I think you’ll see a different Jonbon at Sandown now he’s blown the cobwebs away.
“Final yr he had two runs earlier than he went to Sandown and this yr he’ll solely have one however let’s have a look at.”
