Protektorat wins at Aintree

Cheltenham November Meeting preview: Dan Skelton stable tour

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Sun November 07, 2021 · 3y ago

Dan Skelton takes Graham Clarke through some of his big hopes for the Cheltenham November Meeting including My Drogo and Third Time Lucki.

Dan Skelton hopes his early season plan for Protektorat can come to fruition by providing him a first success in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on day two of The November Meeting o n Saturday after admitting he has had “the race in mind” since returning from his summer break.

The six year old, who is owned by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, John & Lisa Hales and Ged Mason, is the current 6-1 favourite for the two and a half mile Grade Three handicap chase with the race sponsor.

Having impressed on his first two chasing starts and at Cheltenham, the Saint Des Saints gelding suffered odds-on defeat at Wincanton and Kelso before bouncing back with victory in the Grade One Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree in April. After reporting the second season chaser to have impressed in the build-up to his latest assignment, Skelton is now looking forward to taking the wraps off him ahead of what he hopes will be another successful campaign.

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Skelton said: “He is a second season chaser out of the novice ranks. Some can go and improve an awful lot and others that is what they are and you have to re-think.

“We’ve had this race in mind ever since he came in. He has won around the track, it is worth a lot of money and it seemed a good starting point.

“I’m not worried I’ve not got a run into him as he has done loads at home and he has been on the grass gallop twice now so I’m happy. I’m looking forward to it. That is why you look back at that novice chase last year and you think well he can act around the track. I’m happy that he won’t sulk as we have got him really well. I think that only happens when he runs on tacky ground where it was harder work than it needed to be. I’m happy and he is ready for it. Whatever the weight is the weight is and you can’t change that and I’m not worried about.”

Third Time Lucki impresses at Cheltenham

Before Protektorat takes to the track Skelton could have secured Grade Two glory with Third Time Lucki, who will bid to follow up his debut win over fences at the track in the From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast Novices’ Chase earlier on the card.

2 hours before Protektorat takes to the track, stablemate debut there was lovely and I enjoyed that. He is a nice horse and he has always been one of our best horses. He has just needed a time and a fence. I think to be really good over fences especially over two miles they have got to be bold and he is that. He sees a fence and he wants to jump it. 2This was on the agenda after that first win and after that he will go to the Henry VIII.

“He won’t go to the Henry VIII if it was soft or heavy and if it was he would wait for the Wayward Lad at Kempton. We will take it race by race at the time.”

2 4 hours before Protektorat takes to the track, stablemate My Drogo will make his eagerly awaited debut over fences in the November Novices’ Chase.

The Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes-owned gelding looked a potential star in the making at Aintree in April after rounding off an unbeaten season with victory in the Grade One Mersey Novices’ Hurdle.

He said: “Everything has been good and I’m happy with him. He looks great and two and a half miles is a good starting point so we will see where we are with him. He started at Cheltenham last season in a bumper and I’m happy to get going over fences there with him.

“He has been good schooling but he has got to do it on the track. I don’t feel any extra pressure on my shoulders with him. I feel that we have got to go chasing make him the horse we think he is and he has always looked like a chaser. He is probably the highest-rated horse we have had go novice chasing and the highest-profile but at the end of the day they are all equal at the start.”

Joining My Drogo at Cheltenham on Friday could be stablemate, and recent Carlisle scorer Kayf Hernando in the Grade Two Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

He said: “He won at Carlisle last time and is entered in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on Friday. If the ground is nice he will probably run but he is not guaranteed to run. He beat a very experienced horse in Mister Whitaker last time and they were clear of the third. It was a very taking performance for a young horse and you are entitled to think big, at least for now.”

Nube Negra will bid to avenge his defeat to Put The Kettle On in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Festival in March when the two lock horns in the Grade Two Shloer Chase on Sunday.

He said: “Nube Negra is going to run in the Shloer. The ground is nice and he is in good form so the plan is to have a go. The last three weeks he has been going well at home and is ready to go. He has been on the grass gallop once and as long as the ground remains as it is we will have a go but if it all of a sudden goes soft we won’t go.

“I know Put The Kettle On is coming over and I know she is good around Cheltenham, but if you have a good horse you have got to run in these type of races. I’m looking forward to running him. I’m confident he will run a good race like he did in the Champion Chase.”

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Plenty of credit will be given by Skelton to his brother and reigning champion jockey Harry should West Cork defy a 631-day lay off and land the Grade Three Unibet Greatwood Hurdle later on the same card.

The Alcester handler, who landed this contest with North Hill Harvey in 2016, added: “His form as a novice hurdler two seasons ago was very good.

“To be fair Harry came up with this plan three weeks ago and I was waiting to go chasing. “With a lack of a runner in the race we thought let’s have a go. We have given him two days out on the grass and I’ve been very happy with what I’ve seen. He will be fit and fitness will not get him beat but he will improve sharpness-wise. He has got a good attitude and a fast run race will suit him.

“It was a strange injury he had as it was not an athletic injury. He got a cut at the back of his fetlock and did a little bit of tendon damage when he did but he is fine now. If he carries forward from a novice hurdler you have to give him a chance and I think on what I’ve seen I think that is possible.”

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