English/Ire
Carlenrig claims Cheltenham prize for team Skelton
Carlenrig ensured that Dan and Harry Skelton wouldn’t leave Cheltenham empty-handed on Saturday when battling on bravely to narrowly see off his rivals in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
A former English point-to-point winner, Carlenrig was sent off a 4/1 chance in the hands of Harry Skelton following a promising hurdling debut at Chepstow and although Conman John still looked to be travelling best on the approach to the last, Skelton had by no means given up the fight yet.
Conman John perhaps found the 3lb penalty too much as he was overhauled late on, leaving Carlenrig, who had the near side rail to help, and the fast-finishing They Call Me Hugo to hit the line in unison.
There was little to separate the pair crossing the line but after a moment of deliberation from the judge, it was revealed that Carlenrig had claimed the verdict by a short-head.
Dan Skelton said: "I am really happy with him. He's a lovely horse and straightforward. He has a bit of pace, which I think was necessary today as it turned into a tactical affair.
"There will be a run in between, I'm not sure where, and then on to The Festival for the Albert Bartlett.
"He will make a lovely chaser, and we won't ask him too hard a question before March."
The duo went on to double up on the card when Nurse Susan ran on well up the hill to claim the concluding Download The BetMGM App Mares' Handicap Hurdle, while earlier on the programme Charlie Deutsch produced Zertakt with a well-timed challenge to get off the mark over fences in the Michael Eakins Senior Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.
Winning trainer Venetia Williams said: "It was great and Pete's (Davies, owner) last words to Charlie before we legged him up were just ride on your instincts.
"The ground isn't that soft – you only have to look at the times yesterday to see that -and softer ground would have made it easier for him.
"Since last year we've had the idea that we'd like to come back for the National Hunt Chase, so that's why we kept him as a novice for this season.
"He stays well and his jumping was really good today."
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