Dan Skelton is a man that knows plenty about training winners and although the majority tend to come away from the big festivals, he’s quickly developing a talented team of horses who could rock some of the bigger names this season.
Here is his stable tour for the 2022/23 season.
6yo Bay Gelding
Allmankind didn’t have a trouble free 21/22 season by any means. He only managed to win three of his eight starts, all at Grade 3 level. Towards the end of his season, he was campaigned over two and a half miles, though most of his best form is at 2m. It’ll be interesting to see where he starts off this season, but he’s still a young, exciting horse despite having been around for what feels like ages!
9yo Bay Gelding
Alnadam didn’t manage to get his head in front at all last season, but he ran in some solid enough company. The season prior, Alnadam had looked like a handicapper on the up. He was largely competitive last season, despite a few jumping errors here and there. He now has an official mark of 137, which could make him a huge player in some of the early season handicap chases.
8yo Bay Gelding
Ashtown Lad is a horse who I certainly haven’t given up on yet. He ran five times last season, winning once on his seasonal reappearance, over 3m jumping really well. He ran very solid races in defeat, such as a good second to Mint Condition in a competitive handicap at Haydock, and a cracking fifth in the Scottish Grand National over 4m. He could be a player in the marathon handicap chases this season.
9yo Bay Gelding
Beakstown is one of the more established stable stars, competing frequently in high class company. Last season he took a competitive listed handicap chase at Ayr, and ran a huge race to finish third in a C2 Novices’ Handicap chase at Sandown behind Up The Straight and Jacamar. He’s still on a handy enough mark and Beakstown can usually be relied upon to run his race.
5yo Bay Gelding
Boombawn has looked a completely different horse after wind surgery. Last season, he won 2/4 and ran a huge race behind the very useful Knappers Hill in a competitive novice hurdle final at Sandown. He’s a completely unexposed young horse, and he looks riddled with ability too, I think he might just turn out to be more than a useful novice hurdler, he’s certainly one to keep an eye on.
8yo Chestnut Gelding
Boss Man Fred is one that may surprise a few this year. He ran some solid races in competitive handicap company last season, despite only managing to win the once. His mark has slid somewhat and he could be seriously competitive in the staying handicap hurdle ranks this season if placed correctly.
8yo Bay Gelding
Eclair D’Ainay ran really well last season, and it still looks like he’s improvement to come. He ran a solid 4th in a listed handicap chase on seasonal reappearance behind nice horses, and then he managed to win a Class two handicap chase in relentless fashion from the front, impressing with his jumping at Wetherby a few starts later. He then ran two nice races to finish second to what are smart horses in his final two starts last season. He still has improvement to come and he’s worth keeping on side.
7yo Bay Gelding
Faivoir was a fairly busy, reliable horse last year, often running on into places at the death. He won on seasonal reappearance at Uttoxeter, and won two starts later at Ascot in good style. He didn’t manage to get his head in front again, but he ran some good races in good company. He was 5th of 16 in a handicap hurdle at the Aintree festival, he was unlucky in running and it was the end of a long season.
7yo Chestnut Gelding
Flegmatik won two races last year from five efforts. He took apart two tough looking handicaps at Kempton before finishing pulled up at the end of the season at Sandown. He clearly has a preference for Kempton, and there will be lots of valuable races that he can target with ideal conditions, Flegmatik is a more than useful horse who I anticipate will have a decent season.
9yo Bay Gelding
Hatcher is one of the more established horses in the yard, who’s ran well season after season for the team. He is getting a little older now though, and as a result, his mark has taken a tumble. His official rating is now 144, and this puts him in and around the term “dangerously well handicapped”, if he can be placed with a degree of shrewdness, he will certainly be a player in good handicaps.
6yo Bay Mare
Get A Tonic won three from seven last year, and she managed to finish second or third on each of her other starts too, so she’s fairly consistent to say the least. She took a marathon handicap hurdle at Ayr at the end of last season in good, determined fashion over the 3m trip, her other run at 3m was positive, she finished second with the front pair pulling clear. She’s unexposed at this trip and she could progress into a decent staying hurdler.
7yo Bay Gelding
Protektorat probably is the horse that flies the stable flag, well at least he was last season anyway. He won the G2 Many Clouds Chase at Aintree is ridiculously easy fashion – which immediately put him in the reckoning for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, where he finished a third, albeit a distant third. He usually does his best running fresh so we can excuse his below par effort at Aintree, after a tough race at Cheltenham prior. He’s an established Grade performer who will be in search of a G1 this season.
7yo Brown Gelding
Third Time Lucki started off last season with a bang with two impressive successes at Cheltenham, a blip at Sandown shortly afterwards followed, but Third Time Lucki regained the winning thread in a 3 runner contest at York. He bypassed Cheltenham and ran third in the Aintree Festival’s G1 Novice Chase. He will look to establish himself as one of the leading chasers, but he does have some issues to sort out first.
8yo Bay Gelding West Cork winning the Greatwood hurdle off a monster lay-off was a testament to Dan Skelton’s training prowess, after such a herculean effort (all things considered) he may have struggled a touch for form afterwards. He ran well enough throughout the season though, nothing that would cause any alarm in a negative way. He will be competitive once again in big field handicap hurdles.
8yo Bay Mare Molly Ollys Wishes had a superb season by her standards. Dan Skelton had earmarked the Mares’ Hurdle at Ascot (G2) as her main target, and they executed it brilliantly, making a mockery of the horses in behind. She has proven she can run to a very high level, and she will be dangerous once again this season.
8yo Brown Gelding
Nube Negra is one of the classier horses in the yard, having competed at the very highest level for a while now. Last season he won the Shloer Chase on seasonal reappearance from Politologue and Put The Kettle on in third. He runs his best races fresh, so don’t expect to see him too much. He’s riddled with ability and he’ll likely aim for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
6yo Chestnut Mare
Quid Pro Quo, a half brother to the top class Gypsy Island, won his bumper on debut in good style, before finishing down the field in another. He made a bright start to hurdling winning two from two, taking his overall record to three from four. He looks to have lots of ability, though was still evidently green. If he’s matured and strengthened throughout the summer, we may yet see more from this regally bred horse.
6yo Bay Gelding
Langer Dan had a good season on the hole, culminating in winning a G3 Handicap Hurdle at Aintree in good style, capitalising on what looked a lowly mark. He’s been expertly placed in his career thus far, and he’s evidently hugely talented too, so it’ll be exciting to see how his season takes shape. He’s definitely one to keep an eye on.
6yo Grey Gelding
Lac De Constance is a name you may or may not be familiar with. He’s a promising young horse who’s 3/3 over hurdles. He won two novice hurdles at Exeter, beating the useful Peking Rose on bottomless ground on his second course visit. He then won as he liked on his final start at Warwick by 12L. He is a very impressive looking horse, who will hopefully have filled out throughout the summer, and he’s one I’m particularly excited to see again.
4yo Bay Gelding
Too Friendly won a competitive juvenile hurdle at Newcastle before finishing fourth in a blanket finish in the G2 Summit Juvenile hurdle at Doncaster behind eventual G1 winner Knight Salute. He finished fifth on his next two starts, but he still looked a baby. If he’s strengthened up during the summer he could have a very fruitful campaign.
4yo Bay Colt
In This World is a French, Saint Des Saints colt, who won on his only start for trainer Dan Skelton, at Warwick by 6L. He beat Graystone there, who’s fairly useful and was in good form at the time, very comfortably - barely breaking sweat. He really could be anything and he’s an exciting horse in the novice hurdle ranks this season.
8yo Bay Gelding
Shan Blue is another horse from the yard who met a setback last season. He was in the process of running away with the G1 Charlie Hall on his first start this season but for crashing out when he had the race at his mercy. He had a slight injury afterwards, and it was all a bit of a rush to get him to Cheltenham and he ran a poor race. He improved when second in the G3 Betway Handicap Chase at Aintree afterwards, but that form is some way below what he’s capable of. He had a tough season last year but he’s very talented and hopefully with a bit of luck he’ll be competing in G1’s again.
7yo Bay Gelding
My Drogo is a hugely talented 7yo by Milan. He won three graded as a novice over hurdles including a G1. He was always a big horse, likely to be suited to chasing. He came down on chase debut at Cheltenham in a match with Gin On Lime, but he made amends next time out, impressing in the process. He had an injury surely afterwards, and was put away for the season. My Drogo will likely be a huge player in all the top G1 chases this season.
