Steel toughs it out in Premier Chase prize

Kelso double for Sandy Thomson and Ryan Mania.

Empire Steel capped a fine day for local handler Sandy Thomson and jockey Ryan Mania when hunting down Le Milos in the dying strides to seal the bet365 Premier Chase.

The race was supposed to put the finishing touches to the Randox Grand National preparations of Dan Skelton’s 10-11 favourite, but it was the locally-trained nine-year-old who bolstered his spring credentials – with a trip to the Scottish National rather than Aintree now likely.

With Le Milos and Wishing And Hoping disputing things on the front end, the chances of the course-and-distance winner looked to have gone when he made a mistake five out and was again sticky at the fourth last.

Victory looked a formality for the race favourite and Harry Skelton was searching for dangers clearing the last. But the Lodge Hill raider start to look weary and with Mania having had time to fill up Empire Steel’s tank, the dashing grey could sense a struggling target was in reach.

He stuck his neck out and responded resolutely to his rider’s urgings and with Le Milos waning with every stride, Empire Steel collared him in the shadow of the post to score at odds of 4-1 and seal a 59-1 double for the Lambden Racing operation.

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