By Andy Stephens
Another chapter in the
Frankel story was written on Tuesday when his first runner over jumps, Solo Saxophone, won the juvenile hurdle at Catterick.
The great horse’s initial offspring to try the winter game justified 6-4 favouritism by four lengths for trainer Dan Skelton but it was anything but the straiughtforward and, perhaps appropriately, there was an element of theatre about the success.
For a large chunk of the race it looked like Frankel fans at the Yorkshire track would be disappointed as Solo Saxophone, still an entire, jumped awkwardly and got behind.
He hit 99-1 in-running on Betfair but Harry Skelton never gave up and, slowly but surely, his partner got the message.
Fifth and under pressure two out,
Solo Saxophone stayed on strongly to get on top after the last and win going away from 40/1 outsider Outcrop.
"It didn't look likely down the back straight, but he got a bit of a fright," said the winning jockey. "This is a sharp track and we were on the back-foot after that.
"This is the best ground he has run on, though. It was very soft what he was running in Ireland, and I think that (better ground) has helped.
"He showed a decent amount of ability on the Flat but he'd worn headgear, which we left off.
"To win first time over hurdles is all you can ask and I think he'll be better in a bigger field. One thing he's shown there is that's he's definitely got an engine.”
Formerly owned by Moyglare Stud and trained by Dermot Weld, the three-year-old was bought for €62,000 at Goffs Horses in Training Sale.