Thursday 30 July 2020 10:25, UK
Brothers Dan and Harry Skelton followed up their big-race success with Baradari at Haydock last Saturday with a decent double at Lingfield.
Star of the show was Wilton Milan (6-1), who rallied close home in the hands of Harry Skelton to regain the lead and snatch victory in the Bet And Watch At TitanBet.co.uk Intermediate Handicap Chase.
The Dan Skelton-trained seven-year-old was involved in a ding-dong battle with long-time leader Chase The Spud over the final three fences and looked cooked when headed after jumping the last.
However, Wilton Milan found extra in the dying strides to grab the verdict by a neck.
"From the ditch to the top of the hill, I just wanted to hang in there and stay on the bridle for as long as I could because if you take them off the bridle there you've no chance," the jockey told At The Races.
"I thought Paddy (Brennan on Chase The Spud) had me beat once he jumped the third last, but then he picked up and he was getting there.
"He was just wandering a bit after the last. Once Paddy's come to me, he's rallied again."
Master Jake (5-4) favourite) put up a fine round of jumping in the testing conditions to give 7lb to all his rivals in the MB Refurbishment Novices' Hurdle.
The Irish point-to-point winner followed up his debut success for the Skelton team over jumps at Hexham just 11 days earlier in pleasing fashion.
In the front from flag fall, Master Jake answered every call as he comfortably saw off Alberta to score by five lengths.
The rider said: "The lads were saying it's very heavy out there and he has handled conditions.
"The trainer put his foot in the water and came here after 11 days and it was the right move."
Sirop De Menthe (5-4 favourite) followed up his victory at Huntingdon three days earlier in emphatic style in the Download TitanBet Sports App Handicap Hurdle.
A 7lb penalty failed to stop the Sue Gardner-trained five-year-old from doubling up with the minimum of fuss.
Sirop De Menthe tracked the pace-setting Reblis and cruised into the lead two out under the trainer's daughter, 3lb claimer Lucy, before going on to score unchallenged by 12 lengths.
"It was a bit easier than at Huntingdon. We've never run him on ground that deep before so we were just hoping he would cope with it and he did do. I was very pleased with him," said the winning rider.
"Reblis was in front of me and there wasn't a lot behind me. I just wanted to keep him up to his work going to the line because they stop quickly in that ground.
"He's only a five-year-old and hopefully he'll jump a fence next season."
Kings River (5-1) made a winning bow over fences when outstaying the opposition in the TitanBet Money Back Faller Insurance Novices' Handicap Chase.
The Venetia Williams-trained six-year-old jumped into the lead under Aidan Coleman and kept on gamely to beat Halo Moon by three and three-quarter lengths.
"He jumped very well and left his Ludlow run behind. It's very testing ground and he handled it. Maybe the others didn't, but he's a lovely jumper and has a good attitude," said Coleman.
Jessber's Dream (9-4) led two out before going on to make a winning debut over jumps in the TBA Insurance Benefits Mares' Maiden Hurdle by 11 lengths from Twenty Eight Guns under Noel Fehily for trainer Harry Fry.
"It's very soft out there. She's a point-to-point winner and she stays and that's what you need today," said Fehily.
Conditional jockey Kevin Jones excelled with an enterprising ride to spring a 25-1 surprise on the Seamus Mullins-trained newcomer Westerbee in the TitanBet.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
