Racing Podcast: Dan Skelton praised for his approach

The victories of Grey Dawning in the TrustATrader Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick and Jay Jay Reilley springing a 33/1 surprise in the Coral Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton were the highlights of a memorable afternoon for the team.

And David Johnson said: "What you know with Skelton is he’s going to keep chipping away and ticking along. He's not scared to run in the same way some trainers are seemingly more inclined to wrap them in cotton wool. I was looking at the statistics and I think he’s had more individual runners than any other trainer and those individual runners have had more runs as well.

“Working it out as an average he’s run each individual horse 2.52 times this season. Nicky Henderson is 2.02 and surprisingly given Paul Nicholls has a reputation of running his horses more than Henderson, he’s only 2.03.

“Grey Dawning is a good example of the Skelton approach. He’s had three runs already, was really impressive at Warwick at the weekend and while he might not have put himself right at the top of the pecking order, he’s a serious contender for a Grade One novice chase at the Cheltenham Festival – and they’re already looking at going to the Scilly Isles on the way too. The way they are campaigning that horse just sums up the operation.”

He’s a horse who excites Ben Linfoot too.

“He put up a big performance in the Hampton at the weekend for all it played out nicely for him with Apple Away and Broadway Boy taking each other on up the front end and he tracked them throughout," he said.

“That helped him record a good time and a good winning distance but I’m a little concerned about him for his novice assignment at Cheltenham in the way he made that bad mistake two out at Cheltenham two starts ago and then went left as he started to go clear at Warwick.

“He might just need to learn a little more before we see the very best of him in top level company but he’s certainly on my radar for the 2025 Gold Cup. I think he could be that good. He has a massive engine but I’d just be a little worried on the jumping front going into this year’s meeting.”

Graham Cunningham isn't quite as concerned on that front.

“I’d be more forgiving of that mistake at Cheltenham,” he said. “I’m not knocking Harry Skelton but it was just developing into ‘hey lads hey’ at that moment and he sort of forced Grey Dawning to try and go very long two out and it didn’t go well for either.

“I was very encouraged by how he came on so strong after a jarring mistake. I think his heart is in the right place.”

On the trainer’s strategy Cunningham added: “He knows, Dan Skelton, that the heavy mob are going to roll in in March and they’re heavier than ever. The Irish strength in depth is there. So his owners are getting bang for their buck in the good races through December, January and February.

“There aren’t that many good horses in Britain, they’re vulnerable when the Irish come calling. Skelton knows there are 50, 60, £70,000 prizes that can be won by this type of horse. So if Grey Dawning goes to Cheltenham he may have had four novice chases, which is fairly aggressive campaigning nowadays, and may well have picked up six figures in prize money.

“Hats off to Skelton. 16 runners on Saturday, six winners and at least one of them with Grade One potential.”

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