Outsider Mirabad beats talented opposition on chasing debut for Dan Skelton

Dan Skelton was in attendance at Sandown today

Dan Skelton was on duties at Sandown instead of ExeterCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Mirabad caused an upset in the 2m1½f beginners’ chase, proving far better than his odds of 14-1 suggested on his chasing debut.

The outsider of the field made most of the running and, although Nicky Henderson's Joyeuse headed him down the back straight, he battled back to regain the advantage and kept on well. Beat The Bat and Brentford Hope were the other two runners but neither threatened at any stage.

Mirabad produced a smart display of jumping under claimer Tristan Durrell, with Dan Skelton’s decision to apply a hood bringing improvement from his seasonal and stable debut when he finished eighth in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.

“He jumped particularly well,” Durrell told Racing TV. “It was his first time over fences and I wanted to pop him out and get into a nice rhythm. He can race quite keenly but the hood helped, and the fences backed him off a bit, so it was a good performance.

“On the rising ground he just relaxed on me. Joyeuse came by me but he’s tough and he picked up again. Things are going brilliantly at the moment.”

Serious business

U Cant Be Serious followed up his course-and-distance win from 18 days ago with another success in the feature 2m3f handicap chase, giving him a perfect two-from-two record over fences.

Trained by Joe Tizzard, the six-year-old scored in similar fashion under Freddie Gingell, this time getting the better of Donnacha in a battle to the line as the pair pulled clear of the rest of the field.

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