The second race on the card here on Friday felt like a painful summary of the entire 2023-24 campaign from British jump racing’s perspective. With five declared runners, four from Irish stables and the only home-trained entry being the outsider of the field, it seemed to encapsulate the struggles of the season. However, Path D’Ouroux’s hard-fought success marked the 10th win for Gavin Cromwell’s County Meath yard in just over a year, offering a glimmer of hope from a British standpoint. Meanwhile, Dan Skelton’s Valgrand dominated the feature event, the Grade Two Sky Bet Novice Hurdle, turning it into a procession from the home turn.

Skelton, currently a narrow favorite in the betting for the UK National Hunt trainers’ championship, appeared somewhat surprised by Valgrand’s ease of victory. If such wins are indicative of even stronger quality in his yard this year, he stands a good chance of success. “His time from the back of three out to the line might look a bit fancy, but Harry [Skelton, Valgrand’s rider] had the run of the race and the mare [Gale Mahler, the odds-on favorite] didn’t run her race,” Skelton explained. “So we probably just need to see it again to make sure it’s rock-hard form. But he’s got a fantastic attitude and loves jumping, so what’s not to like?”

Skelton is currently at 6-4 for the title, with Willie Mullins close behind at 7-4 and Paul Nicholls at 5-1 to claim a record-equaling 15th title. “Ultimately, you can’t fake quality,” he said. “You can prime an average horse for a big day, you can prime a good horse for a very big day, but you can’t fake quality and the more depth in quality you have, the more you can aim at the big races and have the big days. We’re getting more of those horses as a team, I believe. It’s a privilege to be in that position but the reality of it is that it’s going to be very hard.”

The Futurity Trophy has seen five of the last seven winners go on to claim a Classic as three-year-olds, with only Ancient Wisdom failing to add another Group One to their record. This year’s eight-strong field for the last Group One of the UK season at Doncaster on Saturday is brimming with Classic potential. Wimbledon Hawkeye is likely to start as the favorite after his win in the Royal Lodge Stakes in September, while Aidan O’Brien, the new champion on the Flat, is looking for a record-extending 12th win in this contest with Delacroix.

They face strong opposition from Detain and Anno Domini, both unbeaten after two starts, and John & Thady Gosden’s colt could easily find enough improvement to come out on top. Detain, who won by seven lengths last time out, is a fair bet at around 9-2 to give his stable an overdue first success in this race. Other notable entries include Gavin Cromwell’s Dutch Schultz, Clive Cox’s Fast Track Harry, and Lucy Wadham’s Zain Nights, all of whom have shown promising form.

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