Grade One winning hurdler Allmankind is set to make his chasing debut on Friday as his trainer Dan Skelton unleashes his hurdling star over the bigger obstacles in the Stan Mellor Memorial Novices’ Chase at Warwick.
Having been trained on the flat before his national hunt career many thought that the four year old would stay over hurdles but Skelton now believes the time is right to see how good he can be over fences.
He started his life over hurdles at Warwick seeing off an average field in good style but what he has done since that has been superb.
He headed to Cheltenham in the Grade Two Triumph Hurdle Trial and after going from the front he could not be stopped winning well, with the second, third and fourth since going on to frank that form.
He did the same when he went to Chepstow over Christmas landing the first Grade One of his career in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle and that set up a run in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival.
Wow! Allmankind devours the opposition, remaining unbeaten over hurdles as he wins the Grade 1 @Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle for @harryskelton89 and @DSkeltonRacing at @Chepstow_Racing pic.twitter.com/gRKNBXjDJb
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 27, 2019
Having been prominent in the market he could only finish a fading third and he headed back to Prestbury Park last time out for his seasonal debut and again was underwhelming.
(Credit ATR) Trainer Dan Skelton said: “We’ve done plenty of jumping at home over fences with him, and he is good. Those erratic horses like him are the ones that do jump, because their brains are thinking.
“He is a Grade One winner, and I don’t want to spend all year getting beaten with him over hurdles – it’s not good for the owners or the whole team, seeing him getting beaten a load of times.
“He was so mature and active as a three and four-year-old and one of the best of his age. The others have caught up a bit, and by going chasing we are hopefully finding some races he can win.
“I had my mind made up to go over fences halfway up the run-in when he ran at Cheltenham the other day, and Tim Gredley (part-owner) said during the first lockdown that he couldn’t wait to go chasing.
“It took a while to persuade the jockey (Harry Skelton), but we are all on the same page now.”