Clarence House Chase day: Molly Ollys Wishes lands SBK Mares' Hurdle at Ascot to seal treble for Dan and Harry Skelton
Dan Skelton wins with Doctor Parnassus, Unexpected Party and Molly Ollys Wishes on remarkable day of action at Ascot; Molly Ollys Wishes holds off late run from Willie Mullins' My Sister Sarah in Grade Two SBK Mares' Hurdle
Saturday 22 January 2022 16:57, UK
Molly Ollys Wishes dug deep to grab Grade Two glory in the SBK Mares’ Hurdle at Ascot, sealing a remarkable treble on the day for Dan and Harry Skelton.
Irish recruit Western Victory hared off in front on her British debut for Emma Lavelle, building up a sizeable lead as Skelton on the winner and Paul Townend on My Sister Sarah kept their cool in the belief the pacesetter would eventually stop in front.
Western Victory's stride began to shorten turning for home and Molly Ollys Wishes quickly closed the gap and grabbed the lead, while Townend was stoking up My Sister Sarah who had raced in last throughout.
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While the eventual runner-up found plenty after the last, Skelton had flown and Molly Ollys Wishes prevailed by a length and three-quarters.
Betfair go 14/1 from 20s about her chance in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, which is over two and a half miles rather than this near three-mile trip.
Dan Skelton said: "Really happy with her. I had her entered on Friday in the Winter Million race, but I said to Dean Pugh, her owner, 'look, you have a big decision to make here - she is a tap-in at Lingfield or we stick to Plan A'. And this was always Plan A - this was the ideal race for her.
"Dean was keen to stick with Plan A and I was confident, as I always knew we had primed her for this, but at the same time you have some pretty in-form horses against her.
"The way the race worked out was perfect for her, because she was not keen.
"She is one of those horses who have been a slow burner. When we started, she was middle of the road, she got a little bit better and a little bit better and she has taken us all by surprise.
"As she has got older, she has got stronger. We tried her over a fence once at home and it was just a disaster. It took 50 per cent of the ideas off the table immediately, so you could concentrate ore on the hurdling - which is great, as sometimes when you are confronted with a plethora of options, more can go wrong. If you narrow it down a bit, it can be easier."
Molly Ollys Wishes is a 33/1 shot for the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham, and Skelton added: "I think the Stayers' is a bit ambitious.
"The mares' hurdle, we'll see how it cuts up. We will see what is in there at each stage. I've always thought she would be a good candidate for Aintree and if not, there is always a race at Fairyhouse over Easter that would suit her. She has the talent to go to Cheltenham, which is always nice.
"A treble on the day is wonderful. The horses are running well, thank God."
Doctor Parnassus swept into the Triumph Hurdle reckoning with a decisive 10-length success in the SBK Betting Podcast Juvenile Hurdle at Ascot.
Skelton's debutant appears to be a serious contender for the Cheltenham Festival in March, judged on the way he powered away from his three rivals.
The 3/1 chance travelled well throughout and despite hanging in behind Restitution (6/1) at the penultimate flight, Harry Skelton always had plenty in the locker and he drew clear approaching the last and skipped away.
Coral cut the four-year-old to 25/1 (from 50/1) for the Triumph Hurdle.
Unexpected Party (3/1 favourite) had spoilt his chance with a tardy last-flight leap at Wetherby last time, but made no such mistake for the Skeltons in the SBK Holloway's Handicap Hurdle.
The seven-year-old grey was in command approaching the last and had a cosy four and a half lengths to spare over Fils D'oudairies at the line.
