'Delighted' Skelton's red-hot run continues with easy wins for smart types Major Fortune and Catch Him Derry

Dan Skelton continued his red-hot run of form when taking the wraps off progressive pair Major Fortune and Catch Him Derry to register a double. 

The trainer notched two winners at Cheltenham's Showcase meeting last weekend, including a Grade 2 with Valgrand, and has continued in rampant form since, recording winners at Ayr, Aintree and Chepstow.

Major Fortune won five races last season and returned with a smooth success in the 2m1f handicap hurdle, while Catch Him Derry glided to a similarly taking victory in the following 2m5½f handicap hurdle. Both were delivered confidently by the trainer's brother Harry.

"I'm delighted with those two," Skelton said. "They won a few races each last year. I thought they'd both need the run today and this was the first chance I've had to run them on some slower ground because it's been flooded down here the last few meetings.

"They were both very much suited by the ground, but hopefully they can continue to improve. It's early season form on a testing surface so I'm not sure what we'll do with them next, but they're going the right way."

Sun shines for Fry

Skelton also saddled the favourite Supreme Malinas in the concluding bumper, but she was narrowly denied by the well-backed Harry Fry-trained Idaho Sun, who fought off the filly to score by a short head in a frantic finish. 

Fry was completing his own double having taken the opening 2m5½f novice hurdle with the promising Hymac.

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