Overview
- Kabral Du Mathan won a 2-mile beginners’ chase at Perth on Thursday in an easy, trouble-free performance despite a loose horse unseating its rider early in the race.
- Bookmakers reacted to the display by cutting his ante-post price for the Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy from 8-1 to 6-1, moving him up the market as a leading novice chase candidate.
- Trainer Dan Skelton described the horse as “really high-class” and Harry Skelton called him an exciting chasing prospect after the debut showed clean, confident jumping.
- Connections plan to work back from the Arkle by aiming for two-mile graded novice chases such as the Paddy Power trial and then the Henry VIII or Boxing Day Kempton, while avoiding very soft or heavy ground.
- The switch to Dan Skelton this year followed strong hurdle form including a Haydock handicap win, a Grade 2 Relkeel success and fourth in the Stayers’ Hurdle, and the Perth run suggests chasing may better suit his speed over two miles.