HARRY SKELTON has revealed the ten horses to follow from brother Dan’s yard – as they look to bring down Willie Mullins.
The all-conquering Irish boss pipped Skelton at the death in last year’s thrilling championship race.
All roads lead to the Champion Hurdle for Harry and Dan Skelton’s stable star The New Lion[/caption]
But the Stratford-based brothers will go to war with a super squad this season – headlined by a title-chasing ten in particular.
And one deemed to be a ‘sure-fire winner in the making’ is top owner Bryan Drew’s Louis Veron.
The four-year-old gelding looked the victor on debut at Chepstow last weekend before going down just a neck to the much more experienced Frontier Prince.
Drew is no stranger to some of the best horses around, having partly owned former King George winner Bravemansgame.
It’s unlikely Louis Veron, a son of Karaktar, will go off 20-1 next time out.
And Harry thinks it is only a matter of time before he gets his head in front – with a view to middle-distance races and perhaps the Ballymore, now known as the Turners’, later in the season.
Harry told Star Sports: “He made a very pleasing debut at Chepstow last Friday and is a horse that has always shown us a good level of ability.
“I don’t think he’ll want deep winter ground, but you’d like to hope he’s a sure-fire winner in the making.
“He could end up as a smart horse.”
Mydaddypaddy is 20-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but Harry said a step up in trip could be in line for the 11-length debut bumper winner.
He said: “Like I’ve said, we’ve got a huge bunch of novice hurdlers and this lad has always showed us plenty of ability.
“He got the job done nicely in his bumper at Huntingdon in March and we’re now really excited to go novice hurdling with him.
“We’ll start off over two miles but will let him tell us which direction we want to go. His mother was a good stayer.”
The best of the rest
By Harry Skelton
Grey Dawning
He seems in great form at home and has another year under his belt, so he’s a bit more battle hardened. We’ll run in all the top races and hopefully we can win a Grade One with him. We’ll start in the Betfair Chase and hope we can get to the Gold Cup.
Protektorat
What a legend he’s been. He’ll start in the Charlie Hall, ground depending. He seems in absolutely brilliant form at the minute, and you’d think his ideal race will be back at Windsor again in January.
Keops Des Bordes
We see this horse as a middle-distance novice hurdler with plenty of ability.
Sheezer Dancer
It was a very nice debut run at Cheltenham in a bumper in April. I struggled to pull her up that day which is always a good sign. She’s going to go down the mares’ novice hurdle route.
Kadastral
He improved from his debut at Kempton to win the valuable Goffs bumper at Newbury in March. We’re pleased with everything he does and he’s always jumped nicely. We see him as a chaser further down the line but that doesn’t mean he can’t take high rank in novice hurdles later this season.
Mr Hope Street
He’s going novice chasing this year and I hope he’ll rate higher than 128 by the end of the season. He could be one for the big staying handicap chases.
Sallyville Lady
She’s one you might not have heard of yet. She won a point-to-point on fairly testing ground and looks a good staying prospect for mares’ novice hurdles this year.
JP McManus’ The New Lion, who won the Ballymore last season, looks like being the yard No1.
His goal is the Champion Hurdle – for which he is currently 4-1 favourite – and he will bid to go unbeaten again.
Harry said: “He had the perfect novice season last year, winning the Turners at the Cheltenham Festival, and we’re now dreaming of the Champion Hurdle.
“The weather will determine how we get there but that’s where we want to end up. Time will tell if we’re good enough.
“At the minute it looks a fairly open division, but we certainly don’t underestimate the step from novice to open company.
“We hope he can take it in his stride as he’s a laid-back horse.
“He has to step up but we’re very excited about the season ahead.”
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