Dan Skelton looking to Aintree for 'talented' Kadastral after first win over hurdles

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Dan Skelton believes a promising spring could await Kadastral after he secured his second win from four starts in the 2m½f maiden hurdle.

A bumper winner at Newbury in March, Kadastral went one better than his Chepstow second and was cut to 33-1 (from 50) with Paddy Power for the Turners Novices' Hurdle, but Skelton believes the two-length winner would be better suited to Aintree.

Skelton said: "He's a very talented horse. We've seen a lot of improvement, but I'll look after him now. 

"I don't think you'll see him at Cheltenham – he's more likely to wait and go to Aintree. That's not because he's not Cheltenham standard – I feel he is – but he's a tall and narrow horse, and the right thing to do is to tread carefully as a novice hurdler."

Last year's Grand National winner I Am Maximus won this race in 2021 for Nicky Henderson before moving to Willie Mullins, and Skelton also expects Kadastral to excel over fences.

He said: "I don't want to go and find out what he can't do, I'd rather get him in the right races and make him the best he can be. He's a very good horse, but some are going to be significantly better over a fence, and this one puts himself into that category. If we're going to win a Graded race, I feel like it'll be at Aintree rather than Cheltenham."

Mighty success

Mighty Bandit built on his promising debut over fences by winning the 2m½f handicap chase for Warren Greatrex.

The five-year-old finished second at 50-1 in the Fulke Walwyn Trophy last month, but went one better when defeating the 13-8 favourite Highlands Legacy.

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