Allmankind on top at Aintree

Dan Skelton’s front-runner defies top weight in Old Roan.

Allmankind made almost all to defy top weight in the Jewson Monet’s Garden Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase at Aintree.

A Grade One winner over hurdles as a juvenile and a top-level scorer too as a novice chaser last term, a mark of 160 ensured Allmankind shouldered the steadier of 11st 10lb in this Grade Two.

Trainer Dan Skelton had given him a prep run over hurdles at Chepstow this month – and while he could finish only third as favourite on that occasion, he made no mistake back over the bigger obstacles.

A noted front-runner, Harry Skelton’s mount was swiftly into stride, with Killer Clown and Itchy Feet trying to make their presence felt in the early exchanges as Allmankind set a decent pace.

He built up a couple of lengths lead at one point, but at the top of the straight there were really only three in contention – with Midnight Shadow travelling well in the hands of Ryan Mania.

A mistake from Allmankind three fences out briefly handed the initiative to Midnight Shadow, but the 9-4 favourite took the last obstacle much better to grab back the lead – and he kept finding for pressure all the way to the line.

Itchy Feet, who made a couple of errors in his fencing, finished with real purpose but was beaten a length at the line – with the same distance back to Midnight Shadow in third.

Paddy Power make Allmankind a 10-1 from 20s for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, while he is 20s from 33-1 for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

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