HARRY SKELTON: Weekend Debrief

It was a difficult weekend for the team. Losing any horse is the worst part of the job. We really feel for the owners and for Joanna who rode Precious Man every day. She was heartbroken and it was heartbreaking to see, writes HARRY SKELTON.

KEMPTON

SATURDAY

HOE JOLY SMOKE

He travelled into the race well, but he just couldn’t finish his race off, which is where he sometimes struggles. He has the ability and when he gets it all together, I’m sure he can win a nice race. We’ll leave him now until the spring and there may be a race for him up at Ayr.

BOOMBAWN

He had a really hard task off top-weight, and he could never really mount a challenge. Better ground in the spring will suit him, and hopefully the handicapper begins to relent a bit to give him more of a chance.

RATTLIN HOME

I thought he ran a good race. He was a bit all at sea down the back straight, where there are a few undulations and he didn’t handle those bumps very well. Once I straightened him up and got him going, he stayed on well and galloped all the way to the line. I think he’s a nice horse for the future and definitely a three miler in the making.

DOUBLE MEASURE

It was frustrating that he came down three out as he was in the process of running a nice race and I was going well at the time. Thankfully he got up and will be back to fight another day.

ROYAL INFANTRY

I thought he ran a good race and we were happy with him. He hasn’t run like that for a while – travelling and jumping well – and hopefully he might be able to improve upon it going into the spring.

TRANQUIL SEA

He’s not hitting form at all really. Hopefully when he goes back up to three miles on some better ground in the spring he will turn a corner.

RISKINTHEGROUND

He was disappointing and is another that hasn’t been finding his form. He wants better ground and the handicapper has him a bit high in the weights.

ETALON

He ran a good race for a long way, but might be paying the price now for winning well at Ascot in December.

SHAKEYATAILFEATHER

She travelled into the race okay but then just got tired and is another that will hopefully come back to form in the spring.

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FONTWELL

SUNDAY

NURSE SUSAN

It was very testing ground at Fontwell. She probably didn’t handle the sharpness of the track all that well and I think you can put a line through that effort. Her owner is very keen to go to Cheltenham, so she will most likely head there in a few weeks’ time.

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