Kabral Du Mathan exudes elegance in dominant Relkeel victory

Kabral Du Mathan delivered a commanding performance to claim a comfortable win in the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham. Sent off as the 8-15 favourite, Kabral Du Mathan travelled smoothly throughout the extended two-and-a-half-mile event, with Gowel Road and Jingko Blue setting the early pace. However, when Harry Skelton prompted him, Kabral Du Mathan responded impressively, opening up a decisive gap to cross the line a five-and-a-half-length winner. Trainer Dan Skelton expressed his delight, stating, "It was exactly what I wanted to see, and credit to the horse. He's a younger horse than the others and had no penalty to carry, which is why he was such a strong favourite." Skelton revealed that the plan is now to head straight to the Stayers' Hurdle, saying, "I didn't want to go all the way to three miles at once, but he needed to win today to take it to the next level, and he has." The victory was also a poignant one, coming after the recent passing of Ken Smith, the father and grandfather of the ownership team. Skelton added, "Neil Smith lost his father, and this win is a big boost for him. The Smiths are big supporters of the sport, and we need to look after owners like this." In another notable performance, Matata earned a potential shot at the Ryanair Chase with a resounding victory in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase. Travelling stylishly throughout, Matata relished the return to two and a half miles, scooting nine and a half lengths clear of Il Ridoto in the closing stages. His team is now considering aiming high, with a trip to both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree in the spring on the cards. Nigel Twiston-Davies said, "He's learned to settle, and getting the two and a half miles was great. We've been wanting to go this distance for a long time, and the fact he settled so beautifully was fantastic."