3 minute read
Dan Skelton’s The New Lion was an impressive winner of the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday.
Unbeaten in three previous starts, the son of Kayf Tara impressed many with a comfortable three length victory over the same 2m4½f trip at Newbury's Winter Carnival meeting at the end of November.
Second favourite behind the equally unopposed Regent's Stroll – successful at the same meeting in a two mile maiden hurdle – The New Lion was always travelling strongly under jockey Harry Skelton. Skelton was forced to switch right after the second-last flight but quickly hit the front and put the race to bed in easy style, recording a four-and-three-quarter length success over Jamie Snowden's Wendigo. Bill Joyce finished third, with favourite Regent's Stroll only able to manage fourth.
A delighted Harry Skelton told ITV Racing: "This horse has done the talking .
"He's just improving into everything we hoped he would. He obviously has an unbeaten record, we've always believed in him and I think he's got it all. He's got the head for it. You see him walk round the paddock there, he wouldn't turn a hair. They go fast, they go slow, it's never bothered him.
"Of course we are [getting excited about Cheltenham]. It's not the be-all and end-all Cheltenham but we have aspirations to go there.
"That's the dream. Cheltenham is Cheltenham, no one should take that away. It's our Olympics and we want to be there with a fighting chance and after today I'd like to hope that we'll go there now and chuck our hat in the ring."
Winning trainer Dan Skelton echoed his brother's sentiments: "It was an amazing performance. They went a real gallop, he picked up well, he was great at his jumps all the way round. Harry was brilliant on him. We'd hoped he'd be something like that and it's just amazing.
"We've always thought this horse is a bit special and he is very very special.
"Yeah, he'll go middle-distance. He's a very straightforward horse, horses have their quirks and kinks, but he's so easy.
"He probably won't run again [until the Cheltenham Festival]."
In a race full of strength and depth, it was no surprise to see Paddy Power react to the victory by shortening The New Lion into 4/1 from 12s for the Turners Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
