Skelton completes full house of jumps tracks with Kelso double

Har r y S kel to n c o mpl e te d a full house of riding a winner on every British jumps course when he scored on Floki at Kelso yesterday.

The Midlands-based j o ck - e y, w h o l a t e r c o m p l e t e d a double on Emerald Chieftan, reached his milestone on the 4-9 favourite in the opening Principal & Prosper Maiden Hurdle.

Skelton said: “I knew this was the last course to tick off the list so I’m delighted.

“This horse was a little bit careful at some of his hurdles but he fairly winged the last t wo and will get better with experience.”

Sam Twiston-davies took his strike-rate at the borders track to almost 50 per cent with a shor t-priced treble on Sleep Easy, The Wicket Chicken and Mcgroarty.

“I must get my agent to book more rides for me up here!” he said. “The Wicket Chicken saw out her race great and stays really well.

“O n c e s h e g o t i n t o a n i c e rhythm she was always going to take a bit of beating.

“Mcgroar t y blundered late on in a hot race at Ayr last time or he would definitely have finished second. We really fancied him today and thought he had a great chance.”

The wins of Sleep Easy and T h e W i c k e t C h i c k e n s a w Gloucestershire -based Neil Mulholland register his first s t r i ke s a t Ke l s o , whi l e Wi l l Easterby saddled his initi al w i n n e r u n d e r R u l e s i n t h e R acing Together Community Raceday Novices’ Hunters’ Chase with Greensalt, whom he also rode in the colours of his mother Sarah.

Meanwhile, Fox Chairman looked a potential star on his debut and can keep the dream alive in the Homeser ve Dee Stakes at Chester today.

The Kingman colt was sent o f f t h e 1 5 - 8 f avo u r i t e f o r a 13-runner maiden over a mile at Newbury and did not disappoint, recovering from being s l o wl y aw ay t o f o rg e c l e a r in the last t wo furlongs and w i n b y f o u r l e n g t h s f r o m Migration.

Trained by Andrew Balding, he cost a tidy 450,000 guineas as a yearling and there is enough stamina in his p ed - i g r e e to su g g e s t t h i s 10 and a half furlongs is within his compass.

Balding can also strike with the likeable Lariat in the TMT Group Handicap.

The son of Poet’s Voice made a gallant attempt to make all at Sandown, but could only stay on at one pace when headed by Private Secretary. He went down by t wo and a quar ter lengths, albeit not stopping.

There would be no more popular winner of the Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes than last year’s Chester Cup hero Magic Circle.

Ian Williams’ charge proved h i m s e l f a G r o u p - r a c e p e r - f o r m e r w h e n w i n n i n g t h e Henr y II Stakes at Sandown, after he which he was trained for the Melbourne Cup.

There was no fair ytale success for his ebullient owner Dr Marwan Koukash, but the seven-year-old can bounce back at his favourite course.

Alfredo Arcano may have b een put in his place by the rocket sprinter that is Kachy at Lingfield, but he did not give up that day and deserves recompense in the Gateley PLC Handicap.