SKILFUL SANDIE landed Patrick Janssens his biggest success as a trainer when scoring a brilliant success in Saturday’s £17,500 Ladbrokes Golden Jacket Final at Crayford.

A faultless front-running display in the semi-finals suggested the Graham Carpenter and Richard Marling-owned two-year-old could be a major player in the GBGB Category One decider – and so it proved as the youngest finalist once again led her rivals a merry dance off the front.

The September 2017 daughter of Kinloch Brae and Global Liberty, a half-sister of top Irish trackers and competition winners Lenson Blinder and Slippy Cian, was never headed thereafter as she crossed the line one and a half lengths clear of Kent St Leger champion Antigua Fire (Mark Wallis) in 44.78sec.

Champion trainer Wallis also supplied third and fourth places with Aayamza Express and Avastorm and maintains his position at the top of the GBGB Trainer of the Year standings, although Janssens is back in second, leading the chase. It was a position he occupied last year having led the standings for a major part of the year.

“That was great fun and, although we don’t have the numbers to compete with Mark, we were certainly competitive and it’s nice to pretty much begin the year by winning one of the year’s major competitions. It’s the most valuable competition we’ve won so thanks to Cheryl (wife), Ria (daughter and assistant) and Ron Mills.

“I’m delighted for Sandie’s owners Graham and Richard. They’re great owners and supporters of the kennel – and we all were worried at that moment Sandie was knocked over in the St Leger final at Perry Barr late last year. She was okay, of course, and is showing all the class we knew she had.

“We’ll look at the Regency at Hove for her and Affleck Bolt now. In fact, to win the ‘Peter Bussey’ on the card with another of our younger dogs in Goldies Symnsy – he’s an exciting dog to train – was one thing, but to also see Bolt win was great. He’s been a great dog for the kennel and it was good to see him win.

“We retired Goldies Hotspur only last week. She’ll be off to the breeding paddocks when next in season and we’re excited what’s to come from her, but we’ll miss her wins on the track! Therefore getting a few over the weekend, with Lenson Whelan also winning a final at our home track Central Park on Sunday was great for us all.”

Danny Rayment, Crayford racing manager, congratulated connections of Skilful Sandie on their success in the first GBGB Category One event for stayers in 2020.

He said: “I’m delighted for Patrick and his team as I think he deserved to win one of our big staying competitions for the effort put in over the past couple of years – and none bigger than in the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket. So to also win the ‘Peter Bussey’ and another open race it was some £20,000 in prize-money for three wins out of three!

“Overall it was a terrific morning here, albeit with the injury to Slippy Colm. The same kennel (Michelle Brown) won the very next race over 1,048m race with Micks Little Gem and I spoken to Mick Kemp (Michelle’s father) at the presentation. He’s hopeful the dog can make a full recovery, just as their Slippy Maggie has.

“Generally I thought we had some of the best quality racing on a Golden Jacket morning. We didn’t have too much trouble filling the races, but needed a couple of extra runners from Jim Daly to help fill a couple. Jim ended up landing a double with them – Droopys Knack and Clonleigh Malley. It’s amazing how many of those seem to win!”