The New Lion lived up to the hype with a battling victory in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The six-year-old is trained by Dan Skelton and was ridden by his brother Harry, who was sporting a black eye as well as the silks of his new owner JP McManus after the Kayf Tara gelding was purchased for a significant sum of money from Darren Yates.
He was a 3-1 chance and was ridden at the rear of the pack, stalking the Willie Mullins-trained 6-4 favourite Final Demand before breaking through the field to cross the line three-quarters of a length ahead of Gordon Elliott‘s The Yellow Clay.
Dan Skelton
Skelton said: “Our mouths probably ran away with us earlier this season, but he just looked so good.
“Harry gave him an outstanding ride there, so patient. It’s not a coming-of-age ride because he’s been doing it for so long, but what a great ride.
“And the horse was just phenomenal. I trusted him and going to the last, with the three of them there, I believed he’d win. I always believed he’d win.
“In my heart, it just feels like it would take a very good one to get past this horse.
“I think he could be the best we’ve had, but this is uncharted territory for me as a trainer in my own right. When I worked for Paul (Nicholls) we had all those superstars, but I haven’t had a horse who can do things like this one.
“His simplicity is his greatest asset and he’s so easy.”
Harry Skelton
The winning rider – who picked up his striking eye injury when kicked by a foal on Sunday – said: “He’s got it all.
You hope one day in your life to come across a good one and he is a good one. I’m just delighted he’s come and done it on the day.
“This place is magic and it can give you anything. When you get a winner here it is special. You saw what happened here yesterday and you can easily be on the other side of it, but when you get a winner here it is special.”
Dan Skelton added: “I actually went to see this horse when he was recommended to me at the house I was brought up in 10 minutes from my home, so it was almost meant to be you could say.
“What a race that was. He’s just got something that a lot of horses don’t have and I can’t say too much more. We’re so lucky.
“It was surreal watching him and it was a great performance, I’m so proud of him.
“He’s the most ordinary horse at home, very laid back and I’m very lucky to have him. He doesn’t know how much he cost, I’m not even privy to that, and when you get one as good, it’s almost irrelevant.
“You’d have to think he’s a Champion Hurdle horse on the back of that.”
JP McManus
Winning owner McManus said: “You’d have to be very pleased. He always looked like he had a lot of pace but he showed a lot of resolution there to put his head down at the end.
“They were three very good horses who went clear of the field and I think there’s a lot to look forward to with him.
“I asked Dan am I to listen to the hype or is it for real – and he told me it was for real. He looked the best on this side of the water after Newbury anyway.
“I had a horse win this race a few years ago who didn’t turn out so bad (Istabraq). You’re asking a lot to match that, so a little bit less will do!”
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