Preparing a horse for the Cheltenham Festival is most trainers’ dream, but those at the pinnacle of the sport will be full of hope and expectation of winners in March. In the first of a series previewing the handlers likeliest to make headlines at Prestbury Park, Matty Sutcliffe analyses Dan Skelton’s record at the Cheltenham Festival and previews the former Nicholls protege’s best chances of success in 2025.
It’s been 12 years since Dan Skelton left Ditcheat under the watchful eye of the 14-time Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls. Having spent nine valuable years accumulating a wealth of knowledge akin to that of an encyclopedia in thoroughbred training, the once young protege has firmly established himself as one of Britain’s top trainers.
Given the aforementioned background, it was rather fitting that Skelton’s first Cheltenham Festival winner was Superb Story in 2016, with the son of Duke of Marmalade going one better than his Greatwood second to land the County Hurdle under brother Harry Skelton, who recorded his first Cheltenham Festival winner in the process.
Two years later, Mohaayed gifted Dan Skelton his second Cheltenham Festival winner again in the County Hurdle, coming home two lengths to the good at 33/1 under Bridget Andrews, despite appearing the seemingly less fancied runner with stablemate Spiritofthegames dead heating for fifth at 12/1.
Skelton’s wisdom for target training was becoming ever apparent, as he landed his third County Hurdle in four renewals with Ch’tibello in 2019 under Harry Skelton on his first start after wind surgery, and the brothers landed their first Festival double with improving the mare Roksana taking the Grade One Mares’ Hurdle.
With four Festival winners already under his belt, it was clear that Dan Skelton was rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with. A further double was completed in 2023 with Faivoir landed a quadruple of County Hurdle’s and Langer Dan going one better than his Martin Pipe second to Galopin Des Champs when winning the Coral Cup, but it was last that year that cemented Skelton toward the top of Britain’s racing pyramid. Grey Dawning was a gutsy winner of the Grade One Turners’ Novices’ chase, Protektorat was electric in the Grade One Ryanair, and the art of handicapping was canvassed to a tee with Langer Dan recording back to back Coral Cup’s off the same mark of 141, before Unexpected Party bounced back to form with a comfortable success in the Grand Annual.
Main Cheltenham Festival Chances
The New Lion – Kayf Tara x Raitera (Astarabad) – Turners’ Novices Hurdle
The New Lion took his record to four from four with an emphatic success in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December, shooting him to the top of the Turners’ market at around 7/4. Such a performance saw JP McManus buy the Kayf Tara gelding a large undisclosed fee from Darren and Annaley Yates, unsurprisingly given how impressive it looked on the eye. While the Challow Hurdle has famously been a graveyard for Cheltenham Festival winners, the Skelton’s are adamant that The New Lion bodes an air of class they’ve not yet been privy to in the yard, and the general consensus is that he could be very special. His form has taken several subsequent boosts, with Belliano unbeaten in two outings since, Califet En Vol taking the Sidney Banks next time out and three subsequent winners coming from the Challow albeit in lesser company, but regardless of the form, the way he’s gone about his racing from a visual perspective suggests he’s only going to improve in better company, and he possesses all the key attributes required to shine at the Cheltenham Festival. Final Demand has since knocked him off his perch for Turners’ favouritism, but the Skelton camp still remain in high spirits for The New Lion to land another Grade One at the Festival.
L’Eau Du Sud – Lord Du Sud x Eaux Fortes (Walk In The Park) – Arkle Novices’ Chase
L’Eau Du Sud bumped into a couple smart types last season, finishing second to Iberico Lord in the Greatwood before failing to justify favouritism in the County Hurdle when filling the same spot behind Absurde. But the imposing grey has taken his form to a new level over fences this season. Unbeaten in four chases, he’s already acquired two Grade Two success sandwiched by the Grade One Henry VIII Chase at Sandown, staying on well in softer ground to fend off the two Gordon Elliott runners, with the second backing that effort up whe nine lengths behind Majborough next time out. He’d have six lengths to find with the Willie Mullins trained favourite on that bare form, but he possesses crucial course form and he shouldn’t be written out of the equation.
Protektorat – Saint Des Saints x Protektion (Protektor) – Ryanair Chase
Only four chasers had posted a higher RPR at the time (Galopin Des Champs, Jonbon, Banbridge, Il Est Francais) than Protektorat did prior to bolting up in the Fleur De Lys Chase last time out, a race he was second in en-route to Ryanair success last season when staged at Lingfield. Djelo couldn’t live with the electric speed shown by Protektorat over his fences, but was still able to come out and frank that form with a comfortable three length success in the Denman Chase next time out. It’s plausible to suggest he took advantage of a weak renewal of the Ryanair last season, but it was impressive regardless to lower the colours of the previous winner in Envoi Allen, and with any natural progression from Windsor, he’s entitled to stake a bold bid to reclaim his crown. That said, should the likes of Fact To File, Il Est Francais, Gaelic Warrior, Spillane’s Tower and El Fabiolo all turn up then he’d need to step up another gear for what could arguably be one of the races of the Festival.
Be Aware – Martaline x Kendova (Kendor) – Coral Cup
The Coral Cup has become infamously synonymous with Dan Skelton of late after winning it back to back with Langer Dan, however controversially you deem it to be. Be Aware has shot to the head of the ante post favouritism for the handicap recently after impressing in a racecourse gallop at Huntingdon, pulling away from some smart stablemates. The son of Martaline has yet to get his head in front since beating the subsequent Gerry Fielden winner Navajo Indy on hurdles debut, but his form figures read 22223 with the latter trio coming in strong handicaps. There’s a slight raised eyebrow regarding his will to get his head in front, but his half a length second to Burdett Road in the Greatwood reads well given that one is now rated 150 after an impressive effort in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle behind Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth.
Valgrand – Bathyrhon x Valaway (Gold Away) – County Hurdle
Dan Skelton has won five of the last nine renewals of the County Hurdle along with his second place last season, and Valgrand has seen some steady support of late bolster that record. There is shades of Langer Dan with this one, as he was rapidly progressive over hurdles in landing a hattrick of victories culminating in an impressive seventeen length success of the Grade Two Sharp Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in October. The handicapper pulled no punches in putting him up 22lbs for that success, and he’s gone backwards since. He was beaten eleven lengths giving 2lbs to Potters Charm who at least franked that form in the Grade One Formby next time out, but he was way below his best form when beaten nineteen lengths in the Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham, for all not many got into that contest behind the runaway winner Mirabad. A drop into class three company accompanied by a market drift saw him beaten twenty eighth lengths at Kempton, but he supposedly never travelled there and as a result, finds himself on a handy mark of 134. He’d have to seriously improve for a three month freshen up, but the Skelton’s know exactly how to land this contest and it would be no surprise should we see Valgrand bounce back to form.
The amount of serious challengers Dan Skelton has going in to this Festival is a testament to his rapid rise through the British training ranks, and with the trainers title and the David Power Jockey’s Cup title within grasp, it will come as no surprise should the Skelton’s improve on last years’ record of four winners.
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