Nube Negra powers to brilliant Shloer Chase success at Cheltenham for in-form Skelton team
Nube Negra travelled strongly throughout and picked up Politologue late to claim Grade Two honours; Champion Chase winner Put The Kettle On was laboured back in third; Nube Negra cut to 4/1 for Tingle Creek Chase
Sunday 14 November 2021 15:41, UK
Nube Negra put down a marker in the two-mile chase division as he registered an impressive victory in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham.
Dan Skelton's charge shot to prominence in beating Altior at Kempton over Christmas, but was half a length short in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in March - delivering a power-packed finish, but just failing to catch Put The Kettle On.
That rival was in the field once again, but she was the first of the four runners to crack this time, as Politologue - himself a former two-mile champion - set out to make every yard of the running in the Grade Two feature.
Simply The Betts had attracted plenty of support before the race but he was the next to fold, leaving Harry Skelton firmly in charge as Nube Negra tanked down to the final two fences.
Having suffered a headline-grabbing exit from My Drogo in a two-runner novice chase on Friday, Skelton was in no mood for a repeat and once Nube Negra grabbed the lead, he fairly shot clear.
Politologue kept on for second with Put The Kettle On rallying up the hill to take third place.
Betfair make Nube Negra a 4-1 chance for next month's Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown, while the same firm cut him from 20-1 to 10s for the Champion Chase, a race for which Coral go 12-1.
His trainer said: "I'm chuffed to bits for the horse. Some said he might have been lucky to be second in the Champion Chase, but I thought that was a strong race today.
"I know Put The Kettle On hasn't turned up, but Politologue looked very fit and is a former champion. He went a hard gallop and kept going.
"I'm so proud of the horse. His owner Terry (Spraggett) has always wanted a good horse and now he's got one.
"In novices you are always thinking 'we'll do this or that' but this is the big league and I'm delighted.
"I'm sorry to beat John (Hales) and Paul (Nicholls) because Politologue has run his heart out and didn't deserve to get beat, but it was a fair run from him and I'm chuffed to bits with Nube.
"It's been an up and down few days, but whatever sport you are in it is about being professional, sometimes it rolls for you and sometimes it rolls against you. You have to learn from those situations and come out stronger. I've learned more this week than I ever have.
"I had a tingle in my hands when he jumped the last and I don't think I've ever had that before."
He went on: "He's very good fresh and we picked this race two or three weeks ago when it looked like the ground would be decent.
"He's seven, he's still improving and while I know it's a strong division, I'm just delighted. I think he can go on to even more.
His rider said: "That was absolutely brilliant. The horse deserves that, he knocked on the door in the Queen Mother and then was back here today.
"The ground was a bit dead for him I thought. Now that he's getting a bit older, he's staying a bit better and getting a bit stronger.
"It was a brilliant performance. He's hitting the line hard now as a two-miler.
"Fair play to Dan, he's looked after him. Terry has been a loyal supporter of the family for a long time, they deserve a good horse and they've got one."
