Skelton has no doubts about Lion’s Champion credentials
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 26 Jan 2026
Dan Skelton believes The New Lion threw his hat “firmly in the ring” for the Unibet Champion Hurdle with victory at Cheltenham on Saturday.
While the race was overshadowed by a season-ending injury to Sir Gino, some were left underwhelmed by The New Lion’s one-and-a-half-length victory over Nemean Lion, who was conceding 3lb to the winner.
Skelton was just pleased his star put in a clear round and showed the requisite speed after the last to quicken up and win following his fall in the Fighting Fifth.
“I don’t think what I saw on Saturday means it is any easier or harder to win a Champion Hurdle, but what I do think is now we’ve had a great preparation for it,” he told the Nick Luck Daily podcast.
“We needed a clear round first and foremost, but Newcastle did tell me a few things and everyone can now see he’s not a slow horse. He was assured at all his jumps, at the last he was quick and nimble and then he quickened up as necessary.
“It was a slow time but he showed real speed from the back of two out to the line, like they all did. His hat is firmly in the ring.
“Judges might fancy one horse over another, but you’re not going to get me fancy anything but my own are you?
“There’s more emphasis on speed on the Old course (in the Champion Hurdle) but I think he’s answered the speed question for me.
“If you are a bettor and don’t feel he has then back a different horse, but I’m happy. Bear in mind I’ve never won a Champion Hurdle but I feel he’s a faster horse than ever this year and, for me, Champion Hurdles are won through stamina because you have to see it out really well.
“I could pick out previous winners down the years who went into it with similar doubts and got the job done and I feel like he can.”
On the same card Skelton saw his Gold Cup hope Grey Dawning make a mistake a a crucial time in the Cotswold Chase to be beaten five lengths by Spillane’s Tower.
Skelton said: “We knew the ground wasn’t perfectly in Grey Dawning’s favour so I thought to myself before the race ‘if he gets beat how am I going to feel?’ and I didn’t know the answer, but driving away I wasn’t too concerned.
“He made the mistake two out, it isn’t the first time he’s made a mistake at that fence and the last time he did he went on to win at the Festival, so we’re hoping lightning strikes twice.
“My feeling going there was we can’t win a Gold Cup on Trials day but we can certainly lose one by having a hard race and that absolutely did not happen.
“Whilst it is no easier or harder to win a Gold Cup – it was always going to be hard – we certainly didn’t leave our Gold Cup there on Saturday.”
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