Grand Geste bags National Trial honours at Haydock
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sat 14 Feb 2026
Grand Geste proved his effort last time out at Doncaster to be all wrong when bouncing back to winning ways in the William Hill Half A Mill Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Haydock.
Sue Smith and Joel Parkinson’s grey had won the Tommy Whittle on his penultimate start and on his return to Merseyside stayed on powerfully to beat top-weight Top Of The Bill by a length and three-quarters at 13-2.
The favourite Myretown attempted to make all but was headed at the third-last and weakened quickly.
Smith last won the race 26 years ago with The Last Fling and joint-trainer Parkinson indicated Cheltenham may beckon for the novice.
He said: “It’s good to get him back after last time. Doncaster wasn’t his place and they just went too quick for him, he’s not a quick horse, he’s an out-and-out stayer and to win this with a novice is a little bit special.
“As soon as he started jumping he was always a solid jumper, we knew that was his game.
“He’s by Cloudings, like Vintage Clouds who won at the Festival for Sue, and we’d have to think about the novice handicap now, the National Hunt Chase.
“It would have to be soft ground, but it is definitely one to think about. He might be one for the Grand National in the future, but he’s only a novice and isn’t high enough in the weights this year so it wouldn’t have been the right thing.”
The ZYN Rendlesham Hurdle lost something of its lustre when Dan Skelton took Kabral Du Mathan out on account of the testing ground in the morning and that left Lud’or (11-8 favourite) to run out a convincing winner.
Tom Symonds’ six-year-old has a consistent profile and had gone close at Windsor last time out on his first run over three miles.
Back over that trip, he saw it out strongly, beating Henri The Second by four lengths, although his cause was aided by French Ship stumbling and unseating Lorcan Williams three out when still going well.
“He’s improving. We had the choice of the Pertemps qualifier or this today,” said Symonds.
“I’m really excited about him going chasing next season. My owners get bored with hearing whatever he does over hurdles is a bonus but with him it really is.
“Soft ground is key for him, he’s learning to race more professionally which is key over this sort of trip. We’ve got options now.”
While Dan and Harry Skelton missed out in the Rendlesham, they quickly made amends by winning the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle with Dalston Lad.
The 5-2 favourite had won a handicap over course and distance last time out so his stamina was not in doubt but he showed an impressive turn on the run to the second last where he put the race to bed.
“After he won here the last day, I thought ‘don’t make it complicated – just come back here’. He has improved again,” said Dan Skelton.
“He is progressive and was a good bumper horse last year. He is now a good hurdler this year and I am happy. He’d handle softer ground and if it’s good to soft at Aintree, hopefully he’ll take his chance.
“He is entered at Cheltenham, but that will come too quick and we have Moneygarrow for that race (Albert Bartlett).”
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