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Unexpected Party | Horse Form ProfileUnexpected Party

Horse Form Profile

Age: 11 years

Trainer: Dan Skelton

Owner: O'Reilly Maclennan Tynan Carthy Shanahan

Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
VerdictStarting price

3rd

1

1st May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

20:00 Warwick

Unexpected Party

12st 4lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Bled from the nose when a fading fourth in the Aintree Foxhunters latest (2m5f, good to soft), though still had Fan De Blues comfortably behind for the second time this year; more prolific on easier surfaces but Taunton win in January reaffirmed he's effective on good as well.

4/9F

4th

22

9th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 2

15:30 Aintree

Unexpected Party

12st 0lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Won the Grand Annual at Cheltenham Festival in March 2024 (2m, soft) and runner-up in it last year (good to soft); comfortable wins in hunter chases on last two starts (2m5f/2m6f, good/good to soft); his stamina will be more severely tested in today's hotter company but leading claims if seeing it out.

5/1

1st

2

14th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 6f 54y

Class 3

16:30 Haydock

Unexpected Party

12st 4lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Useful handicapper who won the Grand Annual Chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival (2m, soft) and was second in that race last year (good to soft); did not need to be at best to make winning hunter chase debut at Taunton (2m5f, good; main rival disappointed) last month and ought to remain a potent threat at this level.

3/1

1st

3

8th Jan 2026

Good

2m 5f 150y

Class 5

15:30 Taunton

Unexpected Party

12st 6lb

J: Miss Heidi Palin

T: Dan Skelton

Very useful handicapper who won Grand Annual Chase at 2024 Cheltenham Festival (2m, soft) and was second in that race last year (good to soft); disappointed on latest outing one month ago but should be fine stamina-wise on this hunter chase debut and will be very hard to beat at this level if anywhere near his best.

11/10F

2

7th Dec 2025

Soft

2m 1f 14y

Class 2

14:37 Kelso

Unexpected Party

11st 7lb

J: Harry Atkins

T: Dan Skelton

Won the Grand Annual at Cheltenham in March 2024 (2m, soft) and runner-up in that same race last season (good to soft); returned to form when second at Carlisle (2m, soft) four weeks ago and he might not be far away.

12/1