Harry Skelton says all eyes stay on the Champion Hurdle for The New Lion, regardless of his crashing fall within the Preventing Fifth at Newcastle on Saturday.
Chatting with Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan on the newest episode of Unbridled, the rider mentioned: “I’m happier than I was on Saturday but I’m afraid in this game you don’t walk out with your cheeks puffed out for too long. The wheels keep turning and the clocks keep ticking – it’s all go.”
Reflecting on the race, which noticed his mount and favorite Structure Hill fall on the identical hurdle a circuit aside, Skelton commented: “It began off how I wished it to. I wished to be down the center alone getting that lead. All of it modified after the second when Structure Hill fell. I used to be left in entrance fully alone – one thing he hasn’t been earlier than. I then needed to take the race by the scruff of the neck somewhat bit.
“The first [obstacle] down the back caught him by surprise a little bit. I think it’s about a mile from the last hurdle to the first down the back, so it’s a long way with no hurdle and he probably switched off. The fence was right on the inside and you couldn’t see the hurdle until you’d gone past the fence, it was just tucked away behind and caught him by surprise a little bit.
“Newcastle on good to tender is a critical emphasis on pace and I feel that simply caught us out. I am not saying he wasn’t quick sufficient however in his expertise, he is by no means gone that quick right down to some hurdles as he did down the straight there.”
When requested if he felt assured of victory barring the autumn, he mentioned: “I felt I had a lot in my hands. When I turned into the straight I squeezed him along into the bridle a bit because I thought if I put a little bit of pressure on, that would keep his mind a bit concentrated. I felt I had an awful lot in my hands [for over the last], but sadly we didn’t get that far. I feel that on the day I had a lot more to play, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.”
Three jumps earlier than parting firm together with his rider, The New Lion appeared to veer left – nearly working out earlier than regathering himself to leap the fourth from residence.
Skelton recalled: “He did very marginally just go left. He does favour going a little that way and horses do favour going one way or the other – like if you’re right-footed or left-footed. He was an absolute mile off the hurdle, maybe the horses were just coming into his eyesight at the second last which encouraged him to come up. Maybe he felt that little bit of pressure from behind and let fly at the hurdle? He’s absolutely fine, we can go again and hopefully he learns from it.”
With Matt Chapman assuming the Skeltons would by no means decide to entrance run with JP McManus’ prodigy once more, the 36-year-old replied: “I wouldn’t say never. I think looking back at the race, I wish I’d gone harder. I was just mindful that there wasn’t a hurdle for so long so I didn’t want to be too forceful and set it up for those behind.
“I’m going on the market with plan A and if that does not work you go to plan B, do not you? It’s important to be versatile. One factor I did not need was Structure Hill to get an entire freebie in his personal time. It is a race over two miles, we keep sturdy. I wished to be ahead, proper up there on the tempo and what occurred, occurred. Fortunately everyone seems to be alright however I did not need to give him an entire freebie.”
With consideration switching to the longer term, the youngest Skelton brother was very bullish in regards to the yard’s aspirations for final time period’s Turners Novices’ Hurdle winner. He mentioned: “I promise you now, the one thing this horse isn’t is slow. I’ve never won a Champion Hurdle but I’ve ridden Champion Hurdle horses and they’ve got to stay seriously well. He does that, he’s got the gears to play over two miles, he stays strong and our minds are still set on having a crack at the Champion Hurdle.”
The Skelton workforce stay assured of additional Cheltenham Pageant glory with The New Lion.
Within the rapid short-term, Skelton has loads of good probabilities this weekend – together with aboard Be Conscious in Sandown’s Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on Saturday.
Having opted to make the working when defeated by July Flower at Cheltenham final month, Skelton defined: “Fences give him a chance, Matt. He’s a strong traveller. He can be keen but fences allow him to get a breather in and race better. They help him relax.
“You have at all times acquired horses snapping at your heels whenever you entrance run over hurdles whereas over fences for those who leap nicely, they permit him to breathe higher. It is an entire completely different ball sport.”
Previewing his mount’s chances, Skelton commented: “I feel it was a hell of a run the final day giving the mare the load. He can undoubtedly win it. I’ve acquired loads of respect for the others in it, Alnilam has performed nothing incorrect – he stays and jumps nicely – there’s loads of ticks in his packing containers.
“Lulamba, he’s in for a very different test than he had first time at Exeter. He made his own way home up the straight and seems to be a very clean jumper, but it’s going to be a very different test. There’s no room for error.”
Afterward the cardboard, the Lodge Hill workforce saddle L’Eau Du Sud in opposition to a well-known opponent in Jonbon, whom he defeated by 15 lengths within the Shloer Chase in November.
Evaluating the 2 challengers to favorite Il Etait Temps, Skelton mentioned: “I just think our horse jumps and travels – he likes to get on with things as well. I think Jonbon likes his own way a little bit and whether he was never quite going as well as he could – I don’t know.
“It is going to be a really completely different sport on Saturday. So much occurs within the first few fences – those that get in a great rhythm and get away are very laborious to peg again. Jonbon made a mistake at Cheltenham and acquired caught between the 2 horses, a spot the place he possibly does not take pleasure in being. Il Etait Temps can be actually laborious to beat.”
Watch Unbridled with Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan on the At The Races YouTube channel…
