Brotherly love is one thing, but climbing the National Hunt ranks in tandem with your own is another, and If there’s one jockey who could stop Paul Townend’s domination of the Cheltenham Festival leading jockey, then it’s likely to be Harry Skelton. The pair began the final day last season level with each other on four winners, but symbolic of the Irish tide of late, Absurde and Paul Townend came surging past L’eau Du Sud late on in the County Hurdle to knock Skelton off his perch.
Despite having a lesser portfolio than some, having only recorded his first Cheltenham Festival winner in 2016 with Superb Story in the County Hurdle, it’s an ever growing book of strong chances and last season was certainly a sign that Harry Skelton is more than capable of reaching the higher echelons of jockey status. Whether it’s riding classier types, well handicapped sorts as a result of his brother’s astute planning, or merely natural development in the saddle, Skelton appears to be a far more polished rider of late.
Having been without a winner in two successive festivals, Skelton was doubly represented in the winners circle in 2019 with the gutsy mare Roksana and a second County Hurdle triumph this time with Ch’tibello. Skelton reaped the rewards of a spare Paul Nicholls ride in the 2020 Champion Chase on Politologue when pulling nine lengths clear from Nicholls’ stable jockey Harry Cobden on Dynamite Dollars, a race symbolic somewhat foreshadowing the changing of the British training guard.
A further festival success came in 2023 with the enigmatic Langer Dan after his Martin Pipe heartbreak the year prior, and the infamous son of Ocovango was responsible for one of a career best four winners at the 2024 festival for Harry Skelton, with Grey Dawning taking the Turner’s, Protektorat storming to Ryanair glory, and Unexpected Party living up to his namesake when landing something of two year plot in the Grand Annual.
In the last five festivals, Skelton’s record reads 6-52 (same as De Boinville, slightly better than Jack Kennedy), 4-24 in chases, 2-25 in hurdles, 3-27 in non-handicaps and 3-25 in non handicaps. With four of his nine Festival winners coming in grade one company and two of those coming last season, there’s a grumbling, volcanic like success waiting to erupt under Harry Skelton.
The Chase Is On
The Majborough vs L’Eau Du Sud is more than just a contest, but a metaphorical matchup that connotes a number of stories throughout the week. British vs the Irish. Skelton vs Mullins. The old guard vs the up-and-coming pretender. Experience vs exuberance. Skelton will go into the Arkle as the proverbial underdog, but should the antagonists get one up early over the protagonists, that may set the tone for the week.
Out With The Old, In With The New
The aptly named The New Lion prolongs the aforementioned motif, as the son of Kayf Tara has a certain star British quality that scarcely been seen since the graduation of Constitution Hill. Final Demand will no doubt have his say, but Harry Skelton will be waiting to pounce late on The New Lion to notch up yet another Grade One.
An Expected Party
Unexpected Party’s success in the Grand Annual last season was aptly named, not least due to the drastic bounce back to form, but symbolic of the glimmer of hope that the Brits finally had a trainer/jockey combination capable of regaining the winning Prestbury Park thread. The 2025 Cheltenham Festival has an air of optimism surrounding the chances of Harry Skelton this term, and there’s an added element of ‘make or break’ for the Skelton team. The expectation has risen, the pressure has turned up a decibel, and with a plethora of grade ones chances along with the typical handicap lurkers, the Harry Skelton has all the winning ingredients required to form a winning Festival recipe.