Ryanair Chase: Protektorat puts Skeltons in dreamland

Protektorat

ran out a game and classy winner of the Ryanair Chase as the nine-year-old thrived for the drop back to an intermediate distance to bring up a remarkable fourth winner of this year's Cheltenham Festival for trainer and jockey and brother Harry. 

Always travelling strongly just in behind the pace-setting

Stage Star

, the looming presence of last year's winner

Envoi Allen

under travelled up with yet more menace approaching the second-last but Protektorat showed his stamina reserves and no little tenacity to prevail on the run to the line and by four lengths from last year's winner, with a further two lengths back to the third

Conflated

.

Capodanno

was just behind in fourth. 

The Skelton team were celebrating their second Cheltenham Festival success of the day - both Grade Ones - and this was the second in the space of 40 minutes for the collective of owners that include Sir Alex Ferguson and John Hales.

The winning trainer told Racing TV's Lydia Hislop: "He was great, absolutely fantastic. 

"When you see Envoi Allen looming up like that and with all his experience around here, you just think 'oh no' but what a gritty, unbelievable horse. Some horses live to run and he's like Forrest Gump - he just runs. 

"He's just not quite Gold Cup standard and the reason I didn't run over this trip until now is because we've been trying to win a Gold Cup, but it was obvious at the start of this season really that we had to come down this route.

"But this a biggie, it's brilliant. We all plan to do this as trainers, on both sides of the Irish Sea, we all plan to do what's happening and for it to come off - we've produced them to do this and they have and i dont know what's different this time. Whatever it is, I hope it lasts!"

Winning rider said: "Thsi horse deserves his day like that really. He's knocked at the door and won them in the past, and that's a real big one for his CV - brilliant.

“I just wanted to make sure I was out of the gate well, and, to be honest, that’s near enough the first time in his life that he’s settled. I was out smart and once they went real quick over the first two fences he was then almost in top gear, so I just slotted in behind Harry Cobden [on Stage Star]. I always knew [sixth] would be out to the right and so I’d have a gap when I needed one. I felt Rachael come to my girths once we straightened up, but I wasn’t too worried as I knew he’d keep going real well. He’s a brave horse, and he was really good at the last. 

"He was really good for me at the last, a brave horse." 

On hoe Protektorat has returned to Grade One heights, Skelton added: "I don't know what happened in the Betfair [on his return] but he never got into a rhythm and I was beaten a long way out, and after that we just had to sort of put the pieces back together and give the horse a bit of confidence. Putting him back into a handicap was probably the best thing he ever did."

On his brother, he continued: "He's been magnificant this week, I'm very lucky to be riding for him. He's prepped these horses to a tee, and it takes some doing."

Trainer Henry de Bromheasd professed his delight with Envoi Allen and strongly suggested to Racing TV's Lydia Hislop that a tilt at the Melling Chase at the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree could beckon next. 

"He ran an absolute cracker, they went a real good gallop," said the trainer. 

"Rachael [Blackmore] said she was only ever just travelling whereas normally he'd tank away.  She said I was never going as well as I looked to be going. I'd say the ground is testing enough and more than he'd be used to.

"We were beaten by a very good horse. I thought he just stayed away from us after the last and that ground probably played more into his hands than ours. 

"He's a rock star and we're delighted with him."

On what might be next, De Bromhead added: "Maybe the two and half mile in Aintree. We'll see and speak to the guys, but hopefully something like that."

Richard Thompson, director of owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: “I thought we had a chance coming into the last there. He has won three races here and been placed on two other occasions. What more could you ask for? He has been a marvellous horse for us.

“Rachael delivered him into the race at the right time. She sneaked him in there and I thought, ‘Here we go’. I think Rachael didn’t go for the big jump at the last as I think she thought she would get him up the run-in, but Protektorat ran away. Even if we had a better jump, I still think the other horse would have won.

“It is great to be in the shake-up of a race like this. We have won it for the past three years, so I suppose it was someone else’s turn. I totally believe he [Envoi Allen] knows when he is back at Cheltenham. We know we are back here at Cheltenham and I think they do, too.

“I think there is another big day or two in him, but he is 10 and you have got to be realistic as there are youngsters coming through. Just talking to Henry [de Bromhead], we might go to Aintree, but there is also Punchestown so it will be one of the two.”