sport news ED CHAMBERLIN: Skelton strikes with Langer Dan and Unexpected Party... but the ... trends now
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That was a difficult day. You might find that an unusual thing to say but it’s impossible not to recognise British racing is nursing a bloody nose midway through Cheltenham.
When you are in my position, you want to celebrate the brilliance of trainer Willie Mullins — more of that in a moment — but there was a point early on Wednesday’s card when things felt flat, as Irish horses ran amok and their English rivals vanished almost without trace.
Thank heavens for Dan Skelton, who doubled up with Langer Dan and Unexpected Party, taking the mantle from Kim Bailey on Tuesday and providing the home team with some solace. But we really need big horses from English stables running big races in Championship events. It has to change.
It won’t change any time soon, though. Mullins is doing things that are unlikely to be seen again over jumps. This isn’t like Chelsea and Manchester City did in football, making massive investments to build fantastic squads and becoming dominant. In racing, owners have decided they want to be with Mullins.
Who wouldn’t? His record, particularly over the last decade, is staggering and people who are successful in different fields want to have success when they turn their hand to sport. Nobody is better positioned to give it to them than Mullins.
Harry Skelton rode Unexpected Party to victory in the Grand Annual chase on Wednesday
He will be adding to his century of winners before the Festival ends and I am hoping Jade De Grugy is the one to take him into room 101. She runs in the colours of Honeysuckle and I have told anyone who will listen that she is my best bet of the meeting.
This is my main gambling day of the week, so fingers are firmly crossed. In my old role working in football, I used to struggle presenting games that Southampton lost and today could be similar. I will do my best to stay neutral — but don’t hold me to it.
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