Havaila wins Gold Cup as champions crowned at Sandown

Havaila wins Gold Cup as champions crowned at SandownImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Havaila claimed a third consecutive win after victories at Newbury and Plumpton in his two previous outingsByCraig NelsonBBC Sport JournalistPublished5 hours agoHavaila won the Bet365 Gold Cup in the jump finale at Sandown, where Sean Bowen was crowned champion jockey and champion trainer Dan Skelton broke through the £5m barrier in prize money.Havaila, ridden by Caoilin Quinn and trained by Gary Moore, was a 5-1 chance for the handicap chase and won a three-way sprint to the finish, beating Our Power (14-1) into second place by a short head, with 4-1 favourite Road to Home in third.It was a third win in as many races for Havaila.Having landed the Sussex National last time out, co-trainer Gary Moore said that the seven-year-old could be ready to take on the Grand National."I suppose we might have to go down the Grand National route after that, but let's get today over with and worry about next season in the autumn," said Moore.The winning jockey, meanwhile, believed that the hardening ground at sun-kissed Sandown, where 18 horses were withdrawn from the day's eight races, had a part to play in his victory."He's going from strength to strength," said Quinn. "He loves this quick ground and he's not stopping yet, I'd say."Elsewhere, it was a bittersweet day for champion trainer Dan Skelton, who had two early winners before his horse Thistle Ask had to be put down following a heavy fall in the Celebration Chase.Nicky Henderson chose to withdraw the hugely popular Jonbon from the Grade One race, which was won by 12-year-old 11-1 chance Edwardstone, with the trainer saying: "You can't be risking him, it's quick."The going was confirmed as 'good, but good-to-firm in places', with Montregard, owned by JP McManus and trained by Tom Lacey, taken out of the Gold Cup, in which he was expected to go off...