Trainers In The Spotlight

Over the last few day there has been some big milestones for some trainers and we have looked into their form and we are making you aware of how they have been doing this season.

Dan Skelton became the first trainer this season to bring up 100 winners with the Warwickshire based handler looking to go after 200 winners in a season again after being remarkable last season.

Skelton landed the century for the fifth successive season, which is a remarkable achievement and he saw the 100 come up when his horse Molly Ollys Wishes saw landed her first victory over hurdles at Warwick.

Harry Skelton was the man on board as ever, with the brothers partnership really taking the national hunt scene by storm over the last few years landing some black type races along the way that was sometimes missing from their arsenal.

(Credit At The Races) Skelton said: “It is great to get to 100 winners for the season and it is great to be the first trainer to do it.

“One hundred winners is a big number to reach – and I don’t want to sound blase about it, because it is a big deal, but the show must roll on.

“We have huge spring Festivals coming up and we want the horses and everything revved up for those. It is a good position to be in.”

Evan Williams entered the highly esteemed 1000 winners club as a trainer after his horse Annsam landed a decent event at Catterick on Wednesday to take the Glamorgan based trainer to the milestone.

The Welshman first took out his license back in 2003 not knowing how far he could progress in the sport but just 17 years later he is now a very recognised handler that has acquired some really smart, talented horses.

The big winner was bought up when 9/4 shot Annsam turned over the previously unbeaten odds-on favourite Minella Trump in the racingtv.com/freetrial Handicap Hurdle, under a superb ride from the yards retained rider Adam Wedge who has played a huge part for bringing up this milestone.

(Credit At The Races) Williams was not at Catterick but did say: I’m delighted. The kids have been keeping a count, and it’s great to get there.

“I’m actually on my way home from Doncaster sales, and I pulled over for a cup of coffee. I just sat there thinking ‘it’s unbelievable we’ve managed to rattle off 1000 winners’.

“It’s not until you reach a milestone that you stop and think about it, and it goes without saying we couldn’t have done it without an awful lot of good people. You’re only as good as the people behind you.

“We’ll enjoy it, but we’ll start trying to get the next thousand now.”