Kateira provides a hard-to-beat moment for Chugg family at Aintree

Much-missed breeder Robert Chugg was in the immediate thoughts of jockey Harry Skelton as he helped Kateira to skip away with the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Aintree on Friday.

The nippy Kayf Tara mare impressed with her jumping and was adding a valuable victory to the Grade 1 black type she earned at the meeting last year when second to Irish Point in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle.

Kateira is owned between Skelton’s brother Dan, the trainer, and the Chugg family’s Little Lodge Farm. Robert Chugg, who won the Aintree Foxhunters' on Bright Willow in 1971, died at the age of 79 just over two years ago and was a stalwart of the National Hunt bloodstock industry. He and wife Jackie bred plenty of useful horses from their Worcestershire operation and Skelton greeted the family with a time-honoured phrase, "They’re all unbeaten boy", as he dismounted in the winner's enclosure.

The Chugg and Skelton families come together after the victory of KateiraCredit: Grossick Racing

"I think everyone in National Hunt racing, and racing, would know and remember Mr Chugg," Skelton told ITV Racing. "He’ll be up there with a big smile on his face. We used to go round and look at all his stock, his best saying was, whether they’re yearlings, foals, whatever, 'They’re all unbeaten'. It’s brilliant for the family."

Kateira is on her way to becoming one of the best graduates of a farm which include the top hurdler Marello, while the Chugg-bred International Hurdle winner Guard Your Dreams was also in the same field, finishing tenth. The winner is bred out of the unraced Raitera, who is a half-sister to in-form National Hunt stallion Diamond Boy and Irish Arkle winner Golden Silver, and is already the dam of Badger Beers Chase winner El Presente.

"He was a fantastic guy, a great horseman, a great stockman," Skelton added on Racing TV. "He’d be very proud. He was a very wise, witty man and he’d be delighted."

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