Dan Skelton Racing was established in 2013 and is set in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside. Skelton’s set up is set across two yards, Lodge Hill and Badbury Hill Barn, which together offer some of the finest facilities for training the racehorse in the UK.
Since leaving his position as assistant to champion trainer Paul Nicholls, Skelton has built his squad up and up, and is a serious contender for the UK Trainers Championship - heading the horse racing betting market ahead of the new jumps campaign.
Here are ten Skelton-trained horses we believe will be coming into the winners enclosures this season:
Ace Of Spades
“If you like to gamble, I tell you, this six-year-old is your man”, could well be the new substituted words into the famous Motorhead track, should this gelding go on to greater things this season.
An early trip to Haydock for their valuable long-distance hurdle is on the cards, so keep this horse firmly in your tracker.
Boombawn
Won the Grade 2 Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Wincanton (2m 4f) last November, and has been a solid chaser since.
The Old Roan Chase at Aintree will be his starting point.
Brace For Landing
Formerly trained by Noel Goerge in France, Brace For Landing showed promise a couple of hurdle races at Compiegne, picking up €15,990.00 in prize money.
The youngster is likely to contest the EBF hurdles series over here.
Grey Dawning
Pretty much Skelton’s top chaser at the moment, and great things are expected once more this term.
The Gold Cup will be the goal this season, but before that he will take in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.
Joyeux Machin
Joyeux Machin will probably be a Pertemps hope this year, and will certainly hold his own in some of the big staying handicaps.
We are likely to see him racing next at Haydock before Christmas and he will be popular in the betting.
Kaldoun des Rocs
French buy who finished second in the opening 3-Y-O hurdle of the season in March, a race won by Quilixios and Willy de Houelle in recent seasons.
The winner went on to land a Listed affair in France, and Skelton is very excited about him.
L’eau Du Sud
The seven-year-old had a good year last season and won a Grade 1 and two Grade 2’s over fences.
He will be given a Tingle Creek entry, and then they will work out where next after that.
Sheezer Dancer
Finished third to Poetisa in a Mares’ bumper at Cheltenham in April, and will go straight to hurdling for this campaign.
Skelton already has a Listed race at Newbury mapped out for her.
Shinago Theyss
Another French import who could well turn out to be an outstanding filly.
Sired by Goliath du Berlais, his 2022 crop have won many races between them already, and this girl could well be adding to that total.
The New Lion
JP’s horse will be Skelton’s Champion Hurdle hope this season, and the Fighting Fifth will be the most logical stepping stone towards that goal.
The New Lion was unbeaten in five starts last season, including the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury and the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
