With the Cheltenham Festival now just around the corner, the top trainers in jump horse racing are putting the final touches to the preparations of their star horses that are set to line up at the biggest meeting of the year.
One trainer who has a little more to look forward to this year is the Warwickshire-based Dan Skelton. Training out of Alcester in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside, Skelton, and his brother and stable jockey, Harry, will be bringing an exciting team of horses to the festival this year.
Grey Dawning Leads The Skelton Team
One horse that will have the Skelton brothers more excited to be heading to Cheltenham with is the brilliant young chaser, Grey Dawning. Just seven years old, Grey Dawning has turned into one of the most exciting novice chasers this season, with his impressive victory in a Grade 2 contest at Warwick racecourse being the latest high-level performance of the season.
Wow! ?
Race-fit Grey Dawning (2-1) jumped like a dream under an inspired @harryskelton89 to brilliantly win a top-class renewal of the @Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase @haydockraces
Where next, @DSkeltonRacing? ? pic.twitter.com/XnpeEIJTBk
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 25, 2023
The striking grey horse’s versatility when it comes to race distance has been a key factor in his rise to the top, and it has also opened up race options for him at Cheltenham. Currently priced at 9/2 in today’s racing odds for the Brown Advisory Novice Chase over 3 miles, he also has the option of the Turners Novices’ Chase over 2 miles 4 furlongs, for which he is a 6/1 shot.
Should he line up in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on day two of the meeting, Grey Dawning will take on one of the leading novice chasers from Ireland, Fact To File. Willie Mullins’ runner won the Grade One Novice Chase at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival on his latest appearance and is considered to be one of his leading chances across the week.
West Balboa On Course For Mares’ Hurdle
The Grade One Mares’ Hurdle is a race at the Cheltenham Festival that Skelton is very familiar with. He was victorious in 2019 with Roksana. The Warwickshire-based handler is one of only three British-trained winners to win the mares’ only contest since it was inaugurated in 2008. He will be hoping for more success this year with West Balboa, a mare with an impressive record over hurdles.
West Balboa runs out an easy winner of the Village Hotels Handicap Hurdle
✈ @harryskelton89 #ITVRacing | #GrandNational | @DSkeltonRacing pic.twitter.com/WHmiSl4sB0
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 15, 2023
West Balboa bypassed the Cheltenham Festival in 2023 and instead ran at the Grand National Meeting at Aintree a month later. That proved a smart move by Skelton, as his mare won the Grade Three Village Hotels Handicap Hurdle, beating 21 other runners.
The daughter of Yeats made a winning return to action back in November at Aintree. She cruised to victory at the Merseyside venue, finishing 12 lengths ahead of the second placed horse Brewin’upastorm.
Skelton opted to step his mare up in class on her second run of the campaign in Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot. She raced far too freely in that contest, coming home in last place.
West Balboa also has an entry in the Stayers’ Hurdle, the feature race on day three of the Cheltenham Festival. However, she is more likely to take on her own sex at the meeting.
Skelton is currently third in the 2023/24 Trainers’ Championship and a big week at Cheltenham will keep the pressure on Paul Nicholls at the top of the standings.