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Bumper day for Skeltons
- Updated: December 8, 2016
News of the action from Warwick where Cause Toujours earned quotes for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
It was a case of saving the best until last at Warwick after Cause Toujours took apart his rivals in the fashion of horse destined for bigger and better things in the eventmasters.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
While he unseated his rider on his sole point-to-point outing in the spring, the Dan Skelton-trained four-year-old barely got out of second gear to claim a two-mile contest which was landed by subsequent Grade One winner Barters Hill a couple of years ago.
Ridden by the trainer’s brother Harry, the 5/2 favourite comfortably stretched seven lengths clear to earn an opening quote of 16/1 for the Champion Bumper.
However, the Alcester handler all but ruled out an appearance at the Cheltenham Festival in favour of a trip to either Newbury or Aintree.
Skelton said: “To be fair when we bought him Timmy (Hyde) told me ‘believe me on this one, just because he has run in a point-to-point, it doesn’t mean he is a three miler’. He is not that at all. He is a pacey horse.
“He has done really well but I’ve not been hard on him at home. We’ve just got to respect his talent.
“He will probably go to Newbury on Denman Chase day for the Listed bumper, unless it is soft or heavy, then we will leave him until …
