Ashtown Lad continues glorious big-race run for Skeltons

Becher Chase hero navigates National fences with aplomb.

Ashtown Lad continued the Skeltons fine run of big Saturday triumphs when showing plenty of guts to grind out the Boylesports Becher Chase at Aintree.

Having plundered both the Betfair Chase and Coral Gold Cup over the last few weekends, Dan Skelton headed to Merseyside looking to continue his purple patch in the training ranks with his eight-year-old, who was sent off the 5-1 second-favourite over the famous Grand National fences.

Kept wide but close to the pace by Harry Skelton, Ashtown Lad was in prime position to land a telling blow and with the jumping finished, the son of Flemensfirth dug deep and responded gamely to his rider’s urgings to hold off 4-1 favourite Gesskille.

Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s six-year-old was finishing runner-up over the National obstacles for the second successive outing having also picked up a silver medal in last month’s Grand Sefton, while the symmetry continued with Grand Sefton third Percussion again filling the final spot on the podium.

Having won this off a mark of 138, Ashtown Lad has now put himself in the picture for a return to Merseyside for the National in April and Paddy Power make him a 33-1 shot for the great race, while Ladbrokes go even further and make him 20-1.

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