Skelton breaks £5m prize-money barrier as Doyen Quest strikes

Having been crowned Jump champion trainer for the first time before racing began on bet365 Jump Finale at Sandown Park today, Dan Skelton went on to become the first trainer to earn £5 million in prize money during a season when Doyen Quest(11-4) made all for a six-length victory under his brother Harry in the Grade Two bet365 Oaksey Chase.

There was a vocal reception when the eight-year-old entered the winner’s enclosure, with the majority of Skelton’s staff having travelled to Sandown Park today from their Warwickshire base. 

Skelton, who earlier this season had already broken the unprecedented £4-million prize money barrier, said: “That was absolutely amazing – to do it in front of our rowdy lot! 

“But let’s get stuck in (to celebrations). It might never happen again and days like this are unbelievable. We work hard – although I’m not saying everyone else doesn’t – and we’ve learned to appreciate the ups.

“We’re all in this boat together. The owners have just been awesome. I know I keep banging on about the team, but how can you not enjoy all that? It’s phenomenal.

“With our team and owners, you can afford to reach and come up with grand ambitions and plans. 

“If I can think we can do it, why not try it?

“The colours Doyen Quest won in – Norman Lake, he was one our first owners. A few of our other first owners are here too today in Ian Marmion, Colm Donlon, Ged Mason and the Hales family. 

“Norman’s colours carried us to victory at our 41st track, Perth, last week and have now taken us past £5 million. It’s weird feeling – there’s something not quite normal about that!

“I’m a very proud man.”

The day began with victory for the Skelton team in theChanging Young Lives At Jamie’s Farm Fillies’ Juvenile Handicap, in which Queen Maeve (Tristan Durrell, 20-1) led home stable companion Made U Blush (Harry Skelton, 3-1 Jt Fav) by half a length. 

Skelton reflected after that success: “The whole day has been incredible. I can’t believe I get to live this life.

“I am just so thankful. When I first started, it wasn’t all about me, but it was my name on the licence. It was a small team and there was a lot of pressure.

“With a bigger team, you get this community that you didn’t know existed. The whole team wanted to do this (win the trainers’ championship) as much as I did. We got beat for two years at the 11th hour and know we’ve won together. It feels brilliant – we are a team.

“Harry is right beside me every day and we have tremendous supports from our families, Grace and Bridget. Harry’s kids are only little and don’t know what ‘s going on but they are the next generation. It’s something very special.

“When I first started, we had staff who have now gone on to have their own kids. They are working for us and paying mortgages. It’s a community – we all do it together and need each other. The year has really impressed on me that that is the truth of it. 

“We set out this season with big ambition and went through £4 million which is what I thought we needed to do.

“This is sport and you get beat. We at around 19-20 percent (strike rate), which means four out of five of ours get beat. You have to learn how to deal with defeat, even if you don’t like getting beat.

“When we got beaten by Willie, they had the better team. We upped our game and got to where we’ve got. We have to try and maintain that for as long as we can. I’ve learnt this year that getting beat isn’t the end of the world - you have to take something out of the defeat to grow, get stronger and better. 

“You might be disappointed, but it doesn’t need to be a bad experience.”