Oddschecker Novices' Hurdle
Grade 2, Cheltenham 15:00
£55,000 guaranteed,
4yo plus,
2m 87yds, Class 1  
Friday 24th October 2025

1 Fortune De Mer 14/1
2 Doctor Blue 11/1
3 Jaminska 18/1
12 ran Time: 3m 56.02s
Distances: shd, ¾, ¾

Dan Skelton already has Cheltenham Festival plans simmering for Fortune De Mer after the youngster prevailed in a gripping climax at Cheltenham.

As they sprang away and four of them met the first flight almost in formation – Sam Twiston-Davies prominent on the 5/2 favourite Un Sens A La Vie – you’d have been hard-pressed to pick out the 14/1 outsider Fortune De Mer. Buried away at the rear, Harry Skelton appeared content to let the race unfold in front of him, riding with the sort of patience that borders on audacity.

True to the Old Course’s habit of keeping everyone interested for as long as possible, a cluster of the 12-runner field was still bang there swinging down the hill. Jane Williams’ Jaminska and Fergal O’Brien’s Jack Hyde were the first to commit, sending the field over two out before straightening for home.

Jaminska looked to have stamped her authority over the last, but then the eye was irresistibly dragged to Fortune De Mer. Having been coaxed through the gears, he suddenly found full stride, joining battle with the fast-finishing Doctor Blue. What followed was a frantic duel to the line, the pair flashing past almost in tandem, separated by only a short head. For Skelton, it marked an early-season statement in this Grade Two – and one to savour.

“He’s a funny character and we thought for a minute we weren’t going to be able to run him because he wouldn’t leave the stable block,” said the Alcester handler.

“We took the hood off to get him out of the stable block and put it back on and he’s just quirky, but he’s full of talent, obviously. It wasn’t such a good run when he was beaten at Uttoxeter the other day, but I hadn’t done that much with him and he’s obviously stepped forward a great deal.

“Harry gave him a cool ride there, the more traffic the better and I’ll be aiming at the County Hurdle - that’s his race, no doubt.”

Oddschecker Novices' Hurdle
 (Registered As The Sharp Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 2)
£55,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 87y, Class 1
12 ran
Going: Good to Soft

POS. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Fortune De Mer 5 11-2 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 14/1
2 shd Doctor Blue 5 11-2 Sam Thomas Dylan Johnston 11/1
3 ¾ Jaminska 6 10-9 Jane Williams Ciaran Gethings 18/1
4 ¾ The Last Cloud 5 11-2 Patrick Neville Brian Hughes 6/1
5 1¼ Jack Hyde 1 7 11-2 Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke 5/1
6 1¼ Sir Galahad 4 11-1 Olly Murphy Sean Bowen 11/2
7 3¾ Un Sens A La Vie 5 11-2 Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 5/2F
8 1 Mr McLoughlan 5 11-2 Jack Jones James Bowen 28/1
12 1½ Run For Mahler 6 10-9 C Byrnes Philip Byrnes 6/1
10 23 Jackson Lamb 6 11-2 John C McConnell Alex Harvey 33/1
PU Gower Spirit 5 10-9 Matt Sheppard Stan Sheppard 200/1
FELL Paul's Dream 6 10-9 Anthony Mullins Danny Mullins 20/1

BoyleSports