A superb run of results for young former point-to-pointers from the British circuit continues apace. Recent winners include four-year-old Swinginonthesteel, who won at Musselburgh on Friday, five-year-old To Chase A Dream who won his third hurdle race in a row when scoring at Carlisle on Sunday, and five-year-old Royal Infantry who caused a stir in the Cheltenham Festival betting market when powering home at Haydock yesterday (Wednesday).
The Dan Skelton-trained Royal Infantry was cut to 20/1 from twice that price for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after he won comfortably and added to a victory at Chepstow early in November. However, he is a good example that a young horse does not have to win first time out to make a mark under rules. From Fran Poste’s Warwickshire-based yard he finished third at Buckfastleigh on his debut in February 2023, then unseated at the first fence on his second start before winning a maiden race at Edgcote in the spring of that year. Poste and her husband, Charlie, had bought the gelding for £40,000 at Goffs UK’s Spring Sale then resold him at Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale for £60,000 to Ryan Mahon, who was representing Skelton.
Another ex-Poste horse, Kykorock (pictured above under Zac Baker), who in February won a maiden race at Larkhill on his sole start to date, runs in a bumper at Market Rasen today (3.23) for Skelton.
Swinginonthesteel finished second at Larkhill in January when running in a Flat race for trainer/rider Heidi McCreesh, but the combination won at the same track the following month. He was then sold at Tattersalls Cheltenham’s April Sale for £32,000 to Highflyer Bloodstock and is now trained by Rebecca Menzies.
To Chase A Dream was unplaced on his debut for trainer John Dawson at Duncombe Park in February last year, but he has been in the prizemoney on each of his subsequent races. He won a Flat race for Dawson at Alnwick, then joined licensed trainer Paul Collins and finished runner-up in four consecutive hurdle races. In March he won a maiden hurdle at Doncaster under Dawson and has since won twice at Carlisle under former champion jockey Brian Hughes.