'She won't be overraced' - Kateira's spring target yet to be decided as Dan Skelton hits another century

Kateira is now as short as 10-1 for next month’s Grade 2 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle after extending her unbeaten record over hurdles to three under Harry Skelton.

The six-year-old comfortably shouldered a double penalty to take the feature 2m½f mares’ novice event by 19 lengths to complete a hat-trick, following wins at Uttoxeter and Huntingdon, but her participation at the Cheltenham Festival, where she also holds a Grade 1 entry in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, is by no means guaranteed according to trainer Dan Skelton’s assistant Tom Messenger.

“We’re very pleased with Kateira.” he said. “She’s a promising mare going in the right direction. She won’t be overraced between now and the end of the season. We’ll probably pick a little target for her and go from there. Where that is yet hasn’t been decided.”

Kateira’s success took Skelton to 99 winners for the season and, while Martha Brae was second to Nigel Twiston-Davies’s Ballintubber Boy in the 2m7f handicap hurdle, the trainer did not have to wait long to secure a landmark 100th winner for the eighth successive season when Asta La Pasta struck in the bumper.

Messenger added: “It’s eight years in a row now which is testament to the team at home. It’s a real big, team effort now to get Harry to 100.”

Wave wins again

Mixedwave got off the mark over fences at Leicester at the start of the month and Pam Sly’s six-year-old made it back-to-back wins under Paul O'Brien in the 3m novice handicap chase.

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