L'Eau Du Sud and East India Dock slashed in festival markets after dominant Cheltenham wins - plus smart novices emerge at Navan

L'Eau Du Sud was slashed to 14-1 for the Arkle after he powered home impressively to land the Grade 2 trial at Cheltenham. 

Dan and Harry Skelton enjoyed top-level success with Grey Dawning in the novice chase division last year and they look to have another smart grey on their hands after the odds-on shot flew home in the two-mile contest, pulling readily clear of Western Zephyr and Lookaway. 

The six-year-old was runner-up in the Betfair Hurdle and County Hurdle last season but has hit his best form over fences, winning on his chase debut at Stratford by ten lengths before dominating by an even bigger margin on Saturday. 

"He jumped great, and was better today probably just taking the lead," said the winning jockey.  

"His mind was really well on the job and that's absolutely crucial for a novice. For a novice to do what he did round there and jump like that – he was foot perfect.

"We dream to be back here in March and we'll probably go to Sandown now then maybe have a little break, and try and come back to beat the Irish. He's as good a novice chaser as we've got, so we'll bring him to the war and hopefully we'll go down with a fight."

L'Eau Du Sud jumps the final fence alone under Harry SkeltonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Dan Skelton last won the contest in 2020 with Third Time Lucki, who is due to run at the track on Sunday, and he was bullish about his latest winner, who is now bound for the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown on December 7. 

"I was delighted with him today," Skelton said. "It was really important I got that run into him [at Stratford], because he was just too fresh. He pitched off a stride early and banked the jump, he was so fresh. We got that out of him and I'm delighted with what he's done today. You can't ask for more than that. 

"I don’t like to overhype my horses but I think with a horse like him you're very entitled to get excited. He's done it round the track, he's got form in the book. Yes, there are horses priced shorter than him who achieved more over hurdles, but they've yet to prove their suitability. 

"It's very impressive to be that authoritative round here. He'll go to Sandown now and hopefully he'll cement himself as the best two-mile novice chaser in Britain, though I know Nicky [Henderson] will have something to say about that, as will Paul [Nicholls]."

Sam Twiston-Davies predicts Triumph test to suit East India Dock even better after 18-length rout at Cheltenham

East India Dock produced a dominant performance in the JCB Triumph Trial at Cheltenham, with rider Sam Twiston-Davies suitably impressed and predicting he will be suited even better by the sort of examination he can expect at the festival in March.

Trained by James Owen, East India Dock, who was a smart Flat horse for James Fanshawe prior to switching yards and to jumping, sat prominently throughout and was far superior by the winning post, pulling 18 lengths clear of Static despite being eased down in the closing stages.

Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook shortened East India Dock into 10-1 second favourite for the Triumph (from 33).

Twiston-Davies said: “It was fantastic, he jumped pretty nice. He winged the first two and ended up a bit keen, and then once we got tucked in he relaxed very nicely. We thought he’d take all the beating. We wanted to be in a position where we had options. 

East India Dock (Sam Twiston-Davies) pings the final flight and goes on to win the Triumph Trial at CheltenhamCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

“On the Flat, he had a lot of staying form so I wanted to be aggressive. I’m an excitable rider as it is, even without a horse like that, so when I asked him to quicken turning in it was quite impressive what he did and he took some pulling up afterwards.

“I don’t know what his plans are, but you’d look forward to him on the Friday of Cheltenham on the New track [in the Triumph]. With a lot more emphasis on staying, I think that’ll suit him really well.”

Owen won this race last season with Burdett Road and agreed with Twiston-Davies that the New course may suit East India Dock even better.

He said: "He just relaxes more and I think the New course will suit him better. He's run twice over hurdles now and hasn't made a mistake. We'll have one more run then go straight to the Triumph. We've got a few nice ones [juvenile hurdlers] so we should be able to have a good crack at it in March."

On comparisons with Burdett Road, he added: "We feel this horse is a bit more straightforward. We can ride him how we want to, we know he's going to stay and settle. He's taken to it really well but Burdett took a bit of time. I'd say Burdett is a better horse than him but we'll see happens."

James Owen: has another exciting prospect on his handsCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Willy De Houelle, a French recruit for Willie Mullins who will run in the silks of Rich Ricci, is the 6-1 ante-post favourite for the Triumph Hurdle.

Analysis: 'Plenty to take from the manner he drew away'

Always well placed, East India Dock, also a half-brother to last year's winner Burdett Road, jumped and travelled well throughout the race and powered clear up the hill to eventually win eased down. There was plenty to take from this performance, especially the manner in which he drew right away from the 125-rated runner-up from the last and took a bit of pulling up after crossing the line, which would suggest an even stronger pace/stamina test come March will surely play to his strengths.
Tim Mitchell, raceform analyst

Navan: Blue De Vassy shortens for the festival after landing Grade 3 contest

Bleu De Vassy shortened for the Cheltenham Festival after powering to a second hurdling success under Jack Kennedy at Navan. 

The Gigginstown five-year-old was a 25-length winner on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse, and while his winning margin this time was just five lengths, the easy manner of his win in the Grade 3 novice hurdle earned him a 20-1 quote for the Supreme and Turners (formerly the Gallagher) in March. 

"He was good today," Kennedy told Racing TV. "He didn't beat a whole lot at Fairyhouse but the way he'd done it was very impressive, and it's the same again today. He jumped, travelled and picked up well, and put it to bed well too. 

Bleu De Vassy: unbeaten over hurdles after winning at NavanCredit: Patrick McCann

"I always really liked him, but then he was disappointing in bumpers. He probably hadn't done what we thought he was going to do. Fairyhouse wasn't a massive shock, or that today, but it's nice to see him do what we thought he could."  

Trainer Gordon Elliott won the 2m contest with Labaik in 2016, who went on the win the Supreme, while his 2019 runner-up Abacadabras finished second in the same festival contest. 

Elsewhere at Navan, Home By The Lee was cut to 16-1 for the Stayers' Hurdle after defeating Bob Olinger in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle.

'Classy' Down Memory Lane emerges as smart novice chase prospect

The 2m1f beginners' chase at Navan has an illustrious roll of honour including Grade 1 winners Footpad, Fakir D'Oudairies and Facile Vega, and Down Memory Lane looks a worthy addition to that list after a commanding victory on his chase debut.

Down Memory Lane: impressive Navan winnerCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

The JP McManus-owned six-year-old had not been seen since finishing a well-beaten third in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Leopardstown last December, but shrugged off that absence with an authoritative jumping display under Mark Walsh.

Down Memory lane got the better of stablemate and 5-4 favourite King Of Kingsfield in second by seven lengths, with Galway Hurdle winner Nurburgring in third, and was cut to 20-1 for the Arkle

"He's a smart horse who was very impressive last year but had a few niggling problems," said Gordon Elliott, who had five winners on the card. "We gave him all the time in the world and he looked great today. He could step up in trip no problem.

"I liked the way he picked up from the second-last to the line and he's a classy horse."

Key Cheltenham Festival ante-post markets

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
William Hill: 8 Salvator Mundi, Romeo Coolio, 10 Jeroboam Machin, Jasmin De Vaux, 12 Redemption Day, 14 Jalon D’Oudairies, 16 Bleu De Vassy, 20 bar

Arkle Chase
William Hill: 7-4 Ballyburn, 6 Firefox, Sir Gino, 8 Inthepocket, Majborough, Slade Steel, 10 L’Eau Du Sud, Impaire Et Passe, 20 bar

Turners Novices’ Hurdle
Paddy Power:  8 Jasmin De Vaux, 12 Romeo Coolio, 14 Jalon D'Oudairies, Potters Charm, 16 Kopek Des Bordes, 20 Bleu De Vassy, Mister Meggit, Redemption Day, Kilgame, 25 bar

Triumph Hurdle
bet365: 6 Willy De Houelle, 8 East India Dock, 8 Stencil, 14 Palladium, 16 Hello Neighbour, Charlus, 20 bar

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