Trainer Skelton has high hopes ahead of festival
TRAINER Dan Skelton is hoping for another successful Cheltenham Festival as he looks to emulate the four winners he saddled last year.
The four-day Gold Cup meeting starts on Tuesday and the Alcester trainer has entered Grey Dawning into Friday’s main event.
But he has big hopes for some of those in action earlier in the week, particularly his star novice hurdler The New Lion who is unbeaten in a bumper and three hurdle races.
Owned by JP McManus, the horse is earmarked for Wednesday’s Turner’s Novices’ Hurdle where he is one of the favourites although he also holds an entry in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on the opening day if the ground is testing.
Skelton said: “I took him to Huntingdon the other day for a canter round and a day out. He walked round the paddock full of exuberance and happiness.
“He’s never a horse that pulls in a race and he’s never a horse that pulls in work. He’s never going to boil over and do it the wrong way.
“He’s going to be going on the Wednesday unless the ground is very soft or heavy in which case we could switch to the Tuesday.
“I love him. I love everything about him. I love his attitude, I love the trainability about him. You ask Harry (Skelton, brother and jockey) – he loves the way he is to ride and if you want go inside you can go inside, if you want to go outside you can go outside, if you want to go a bit quicker you can go a bit quicker and if you want to go a bit slower then he does that as well. He can do it all.
“Those good horses have that big day attitude and big day mentality.”
L’Eau Du Sud has been unbeaten in four since switching to fences having gone close in the County Hurdle last season, and Skelton believes he will be a tough opponent for hot favourite Majborough in the Arkle on th eopening day of the festival.
“He’s done nothing wrong over fences, he’s four from four and I always expected him to be a much better chaser than hurdler.
“He’s gone chasing and hasn’t looked back. He’s got course form, if it’s soft he can cope but if it’s better all the better, he can drop in or make the running – he’s just very versatile. There’s nothing I don’t like about his chance in this race.”
Wilmcote trainer Olly Murphy has Resplendent Grey in the National Hunt Chase on Tuesday and Fingle Bridge in the Turner’s Novices’ Hurdle the following day.
