Allmankind ‘the most exciting’ Dan Skelton has ever trained as he limbers up for Cheltenham Festival with strong team
WHEN asked if he was heading to the Cheltenham Festival with his best team to date, Dan Skelton had a simple answer.
‘Oh yeah, you’re bloody right. It’s definitely my strongest.’
The ambitious trainer banged in a double at Prestbury Park last season with Roksana and Ch’tibello.
But it is younger horses like Allmankind and Maire Banrigh that have Skelton waxing lyrical this time around.
The story behind Triumph Hurdle fancy Allmankind is remarkable and the Lodge Hill handler is in no doubt he holds his best hand of the week.
Skelton said: “When he first came from Michael Bell I actually sent a text to the owner Bill Gredley saying this could be a complete waste of time.
LATEST IN RACING
“But he got to the track and I knew exactly what was coming, I just had no idea whether he’d keep going or not. Thankfully he did.”
Keep going he certainly did. Despite being bred for a Derby rather than a hurdle, he’s unbeaten over sticks and a Grade 1 winner.
He’ll square off against Goshen and the best of the Irish in just over two weeks time and Skelton is licking his lips.
The Ladbrokes ambassador added: “We’ve never had one going into the Festival as near favourite for one of the Grade 1 Novices’ and we know what will come after is very exciting.
“I think he has to be my best chance. I know he’s shortest in the betting and it’s easy to say but there’s more to it.
“If Maire Banrigh won the Arkle she’s a legitimate winner but people would be a bit downbeat.
“But if Allmankind won everyone would be saying he could be a Champion Hurdle horse. He’s a legitimate long-term top-end contender.
“He’s about as exciting a youngster as we’ve had.”
GET THE COMPLETE DAN SKELTON CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL STABLE TOUR HERE
His front-running tactics are now well known and with Goshen in the same category, it could be some tear-up.
Skelton admitted: “He kind of is one-dimensional but if someone wanted to go quicker than him we don’t have to take them on.
“If somebody is going to go out ridiculously fast out there we can take a lead.
“He’s a bit like a coiled spring or a bottle of champagne ready to pop and I didn’t want to lose that by going to Cheltenham in January.
“The Irish races haven’t added to their strength and between us and Goshen it will be a proper race.”
Don't miss out on all the best of Sun Racing
Maire Banrigh is another leading light from the Warwickshire yard. Unbeaten over fences she’ll head to the Arkle with a live chance.
Skelton said: “We get 7lbs for her being a mare and that means she’s a 155 horse.
“And you know sometimes that can win you an Arkle so on numbers she’s very much a player.
“She jumps well, is a strong traveller and sees out two miles very well.
“In these big races at the Festival you want a horse that sees out a little bit further than the trip and that’s her.
“She’s won her four going into it, hardly breaking sweat, and you’ve got to respect that.”
Roksana took home the Mares’ Hurdle last spring after the infamous last flight fall of Benie Des Dieux.
After an up and down season she’ll defend her crown against the might of the Irish.
Skelton said: “No one will forget what she did at Cheltenham. It may have been fortuitous but you have to jump them to win and we did that.
“I will have her as best as she can be and I expect her to be bang there two out. It’s up to her then.”
LATEST IN RACING
A whiteboard in the Skelton yard displays the countdown to Day 1 of Cheltenham in writing so big you can’t miss it.
And with 17 days to go, the excitement is building within the team.
Skelton said: “I don’t feel pressure, but I feel excitement and that bubbles in to expectation.
“What I’ve done this year is I’ve not gone too far. If the owners want to get excitable then fine, but what I’m not going to do is get ahead of myself and then lead them on.
“But we’re always thinking about the Festival here, it means a lot to us. I’m already thinking about next year!”
Form is all important come the second week of March and it’s set to be an important weekend for the Skelton team at Kempton and Newcastle.
An Eider Chase winner would be the perfect way to get the pre-Festival ball rolling.
Very First Time is vying for favouritism in Newcastle’s big staying chase and Skelton is confident of a big run.
He said: “He should have a great chance, he’s an improved horse.
“I wouldn’t mind it drying out a bit but that’s not to say I wouldn’t fancy him anyway. I’d fancy him more if it did though. I’m very happy with him.”
Stable favourite Ch’tibello is likely to skip the Festival this year in favour of Aintree and will take his chance in the Kingwell today.
West Cork is set to fly the flag in the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton.
Skelton said: “If the handicapper is right West Cork should win.
“There’s more to come from him, even more so as a chaser. At the start of the year he was just a bit dumb so we’ve started to make his mind up for him.”