Madara and Holloway Queen see Brits lead the way

Dan and Harry Skelton's Madara  made it three all after six races in the EBC Group Prestbury Cup as he justified 3-1 favouritism with a seven and a half length success in the Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase over two and a half miles. 

The winning trainer said: “Lovely to get a winner - it’s what we all come for. If you’d have said to me last night, what do you want? I’d have said if we can get one, then we’ll ask for more, but one’s what it’s about. The team has worked very hard, and to come here and get one, especially on day one, it’s a bit of a relief and everyone can breathe a bit easier. I had no doubt we had plenty of pounds in hand today; it was just about how it went on the way round. His form showed you that he had that in hand, and we’re delighted.

“The horse has had lots of time off with a leg injury, which meant we couldn’t race him too much and he’s come here relatively lightly raced. He did a great bit of work at Warwick a few weeks ago. He’s a graded horse in a handicap, but I couldn’t call him a Grade One horse - we’ve got that to come in the future perhaps, but it’s a great result.

“Sometimes, a bit of patience and it all comes together. It’s easier being a patient trainer than it is being a patient owner - as a trainer you are lucky enough to have a lot of horses, but as an owner, you just want to run your horse, and you have to be patient, and it’s hard.

“I’ve never come into a Festival more delighted to be a part of this game. It’s great to have a winner - it really does give you a lovely feeling.” 

Harry Skelton said: “This horse has been brilliant. He won well there. He missed the autumn really due to an injury. We prepped him really well, he ran well last time at Kempton.

“Once I’d straighted up down to two out, I thought it was his race to lose. He put his head down and galloped well. To get a winner here, you just don’t get better than this place. It’s brilliant and I feel very privileged to be part of all this. Our sport is in such a great place. Brilliant racing today and I don’t think as open a Festival certainly in my time, and that’s great to see. Day one – one on the board, I wouldn’t mind a few more now!

“He missed the early part of the season due to the injury he had last season but he’s improved each time and he’s got the experience, which showed today - he could go wherever I wanted him to go and sometimes you need that experience. 

“He was definitely one we thought was coming here with a great chance.”

Keith Donoghue, rider of runner-up Will The Wise, said: “He ran a cracker. He just ran into a better one on the day. No excuse.”

Callum Pritchard, rider of third-placed Moon d’Orange, said: “Compared to his last couple of runs that was an absolutely fantastic run. After the false start I ended up lining up as wide as I could and with first-time visors and a bit of daylight all he’s done is jump and travel and I was holding my position very easily throughout. “

A lot of the talk in the build-up to this year’s Festival focused on the fact reigning champion jockey Sean Bowen has yet to ride a winner at The Festival. In today’s concluding contest, his younger brother James beat him to a place on the Festival roll of honour when he rode Holloway Queen (12-1) to victory in the National Hunt Novices’ Handicap Chase.

It bookended the day perfectly for winning trainer Nicky Henderson, who saddled Old Park Star to victory in the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. 

James Bowen said: “It’s great to get a winner on the first day, and I suppose a bit of redemption for last year, when I missed the whole of the Festival and might have missed a winner, so it’s great to get this.

“We always thought this mare was better on soft ground until today. I was actually a bit negative on her beforehand because of the ground, but if it had come up soft, I’d have really fancied her chances. I suppose the ground didn’t make any difference over that trip today; she just wants a trip on good ground, I think.

“When I jumped three out, I got in close to it and my arse hit the saddle and she took off! Once I got past the horse in front, I thought, something’s bound to come and catch me, but we went fast enough that there weren't any finishers. 

“It didn’t feel like I was far clear - the commentator seemed very loud and it made me think there was something right behind me.

“I’ve been at Seven Barrows eight years now, and Nicky’s been extremely good to me. Nico was sat in the weighing room watching the race, and Nicky had every right to put Nico on it, but he’s very loyal and I really appreciate everything he’s done for me.”

Nicky Henderson said: “That was very good. I thought she wanted a bog, so we ummed and aahed and we weren’t going to run unless there was soft all over it, but I suppose you get the same effect when you go three miles and six - a bloody good, honest, staying test. She stays and jumps. Perhaps she’ll be a Grand National horse - if we all live long enough.

“She was on the transfer list earlier in the year as it wasn’t working for her over hurdles and she was getting sulky, but James has got a rhythm with her and she just jumps and gallops. She’s only a novice so we’ll just mind her a bit. You probably wouldn’t want to run her on the ground too often.”