L'Eau Du Sud enhanced his Festival claims when cantering to victory in the Grade 2 Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Runner-up in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last season, Dan Skelton's galloping grey had always promised to make up into a better performer over fences and readily opened his account when making a successful chasing debut at Stratford.
Under a confident Harry Skelton, L'Eau Du Sud effortlessly moved into contention behind leaders Lookaway and Western Zephyr before taking it up with two fences to jump. Another excellent leap saw him strike the front over the second last and although he got in tight at the final flight, Harry Skelton's mount never looked in danger.
A brief shake of the reins by Skelton saw L'Eau Du Sud skip clear of the pursuers up the Cheltenham hill. Western Zephyr did the best of the remainder, but he never looked like laying a glove on the eventual winner, who cruised over the line for a widening 11-length success to give his owners another major triumph in recent days.
"He jumped great, better today taking a lead," said the winning jockey on ITV Racing. "His mind was really well on the job and that's absolutely crucial for a novice. For a novice to do what he did round there and jump like that – he was foot perfect.
"We dream to be back here in March, and we'll probably go to Sandown then maybe have a little break and try and come back to beat the Irish. He's as good a novice chaser as we've got, so we'll bring him to the war and hopefully, we'll go down with a fight."
Of the 10/11 winner, who was cut to a general 16/1 for the Arkle in March, Dan Skelton said: "I'll always defend my horses, but I try not to overhype them because they have enough pressure on them anyway.
"I think with a horse like him and seeing what we've seen, you're very entitled to get excited. He's done it around the track, he's got the form in the book and while there will be horses going chasing who achieved more over hurdles than he did, they've got to go and prove their suitability.
"We've got one tick in the box, I'm sure others will come out and do the same, we'll go to Sandown now (Henry VIII) where he'll try to prove he's the best two-mile novice chaser in the UK. I'm sure Nicky (Henderson) will have something to say about that with one or two and so will Paul (Nicholls), but I'd be confident enough to say there's a level to come up to with them, it's impressive to go and do that around here."
