'He has a lot of class' - Dan Skelton's Royal Infantry halved in price to 20-1 for Supreme after impressive hurdle success

Royal Infantry was halved in price to 20-1 (from 40) for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power after an impressive victory in the feature 1m7½f introductory hurdle.

Last season’s Champion Bumper eighth took a step forward from his Chepstow maiden hurdle success to score by eight and a half lengths under Harry Skelton and could return to Haydock for the Grade 2 Supreme trial on January 18.

Craig Buckingham, who owns the Dan Skelton-trained Royal Infantry with his wife Laura, said on Racing TV: “It was a very impressive performance and we think a lot of him. I didn’t think he’d get beat today – we have a lot of confidence in him and he has a lot of class. He’ll be better on better ground but can handle an easier surface.”

Quickfire hat-trick

East Street rattled off a hat-trick in eight days when defying top weight in the 3m½f conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle.

The eight-year-old was a £14,000 purchase for James Owen in May and was successful over fences at Wetherby and Leicester last week before this hurdles success by a length and a quarter under Callum Pritchard.

Owen said: “It’s lovely to get three wins out of him and he’s more than paid off his purchase fee. We won’t run him again quickly. He’s a three-mile chaser and we’ll set him up for a better race around Wetherby or somewhere like that. He’s on an upward curve, is a good jumper and we can have some more nice days out.”

Positive news

Jockey Tom Bellamy walked into the ambulance and then back into the weighing room after being checked over following an unfortunate unseat on Guard Duty in the finale. His return to race-riding will be subject to clearance from the BHA's medical department. 

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