It’s a one-horse race at Exeter as only runner trots home alone to take prize

A gentle gallop from the furlong pole to the winning line was enough to secure a prize of nearly £22,000 for the connections of Captain Teague at Exeter on Friday after the “Future Stars” Novice Chase, one of the main supporting events on the track’s biggest day of the year, was reduced to a walkover when two of the three declared runners were withdrawn due to unusually fast ground.

Dan Skelton’s Deafening Silence, a winner on the same card over hurdles 12 months ago, was the first horse to be pulled out of the contest, which was due to open a four-race broadcast on ITV4, after the same trainer’s five-year-old Jack Black was pulled up in the opening novice hurdle.

Sue Gardner’s Daring Plan, who had been expected to start at long odds, then failed to appear in the paddock before the race and following confirmation of his withdrawal, Captain Teague completed the formality of a brief gallop on the track to secure the prize.

Friday’s walkover was the first in British racing since March, and only the seventh since April 2019. All seven were chase events, with six being restricted to novices and five run as handicaps.

It is also the most high-profile one-horse race in recent years, and comes after an extended period of dull, dry weather that has left many trainers struggling to find anywhere to run their novice chasers in particular.

Skelton said on Friday that no one could be blamed for the situation, and that both trainers and punters would need to be patient until the going eases.

“Of course it’s the ground, but it’s not the ground, it’s the weather,” Skelton, said on Racing TV. “It’s frustrating for everyone, it’s frustrating for the industry, I’m sure there will be lots of comments about how embarrassing it is but you can’t feel embarrassment at this point, you can only do the right thing.

“It’s driven into us from every angle about welfare. You have to act appropriately and that’s what we’re doing. It would be a lot more embarrassing if we were running horses and they were getting injured, so I think if commentators could please bear with us that we’re making the right calls, that would be most helpful.

“But it will change. It’s the UK, it will rain, it probably won’t stop raining when it does.”

Exeter does not have a watering system, although Skelton would not expect it to make any difference if it had.

“You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place,” he said. “You’ve got to be watering for at least a week in advance, and who could possibly water in November, because the forecast could change in 48 hours. I wish I could run and I wish we could put on a more appetising show but that’s just the way the weather is and we can’t beat nature.”

The ground is officially good, good-to-soft in place at Aintree on Saturday, where the famous fences on the Grand National course will be jumped for the first time this season in the Grand Sefton Chase.

Latenightpass can light up Aintree

Latenightpass (2.40) has an exemplary record over these unique obstacles, having finished second, first and fourth in the Foxhunters’ and then 12th in the National itself in April. He hit the front before two out there so Saturday’s drop back to a single circuit at Aintree looks ideal.

Wincanton 1.09 Progressive Tedley can extend his unbeaten run over fences to three starts.

Doncaster 1.20 Zoum Zoum looks ready for the step up from handicaps to Listed company.

Aintree 1.30 Expect further improvement from Guard The Moon after another career-best last time.

Wincanton 1.45 Pretending looked better than ever last time and has a decent chance to follow up.

Aintree 2.05 The six-year-old Imperial Saint should back up his track-and-trip win on his chase debut last month.

Wincanton 2.23 Soul Icon is still a maiden over fences but has run well in very strong company and could finally break his duck here.

Wincanton 2.55 Harry Derham’s Brentford Hope looks a fine bet to make the most of a 6lb concession from the likely favourite, Rubaud.

Doncaster 3.10 Ralph Beckett could well saddle a third winner of this race in four seasons with Treasure.

Wincanton 3.30 Conditions look ideal for Lord Accord to complete a hat-trick.

Doncaster 3.45 Handicap maestro David O’Meara can win the final race of the Flat turf season with the lightly raced Stressfree