Skelton and Pipe enjoy trip to Exeter
WILDE ABOUT OSCAR returned to form with a bang to take the Listed spoils in the Bet At racingtv.com Novices’ Hurdle at Exeter yesterday.
The Dan Skelton-trained gelding had looked a smart recruit when winning both his novice hurdles in the autumn, only to come unstuck in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury when stepped up to Grade One company.
The six-year-old got back on track in Devon with a dominant display under an enterprising ride by Harry Skelton. Leading before the second flight, Wilde About Oscar (16-5) was far too strong for The Glancing Queen and crossed the line seven and a half lengths clear of the evens favourite.
The winning trainer said: “I’m really happy with him. At Newbury, he hit four out and just stopped – whether he had a dead leg or someFinal thing, I’ll just never know. Other than at Newbury, he’s having a really smart career and today he showed he could handle tough conditions.
“He jumped very well, just a little out to his left sometimes. It was his first time going right-handed, so I’m not too bothered about that. It was confirmation we are back on track and that we’ve got a really nice horse,” Skelton added.
Brinkley earned a quote of 16-1 for the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham with bookmakers Paddy Power, after running out a game winner of the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Series Qualifier.
The David Pipe-trained grey was never too far off the pace before taking closer order in the straight. Leading before the final flight, Brinkley (100-30) kept on strongly to deny Tommy Rapper by three and a quarter lengths.
“He has qualified for the Pertemps now, but I need to sit and have a chat with the owners (to see) if they want to go there or look at something else,” said Devon-based Pipe. “If it was like this ground, you would have to take a chance, but if it was good to soft ground you might miss it.”
That success gave Pipe and Scudamore a double, after Martinhal (4-1) struck gold in the British Stallion Studs EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle. The six-year-old staged a game front-running performance as he backed up a course success five weeks ago to hold Solwara One by a head.
“It was a lovely performance, and he is a horse we have always liked. He disappointed after his first two runs over hurdles as he never really finished his races, but the wind operation has helped him,” Pipe added.
“To me he is a three-miler, but he never finished those first two races, so we dropped him back to two miles and one furlong here last time and stepped him back up a little bit further today.”
Karl Philippe had found Martinhal half a length too good on his latest start, but made no mistake as he got off the mark over jumps in the second division of the novice hurdle.
Fergal O’Brien’s six-year-old also made all the running with Paddy Brennan able to dictate affairs. The 6-4 favourite ran the opposition into the ground, coming home ten lengths clear of Sheldon, with a further 14 lengths to One Fer Mamma in third.
“He definitely deserved that. We decided to be more positive on him today, and the step up in trip has helped him as well,” said O’Brien. “The step up in trip looked ideal for him and he loves that ground.”