Dan Skelton‘s quest to win a first trainers’ title was boosted on Saturday with key winners at Kelso and Newbury.
The most lucrative saw Heltenham win a second Greatwood Gold Cup at the latter track. The 20/1 chance was ridden by Charlie Todd with Harry Skelton occupied at Kelso. The nine-year-old’s victory was worth more than £45,000, with the added bonus of being an outsider in the race.
Harry Skelton was also in the winners for his brother though. He guided heavy odds-on favourite Protektorat to win the Listed Premier Chase at Kelso, though not without incident. A terrible blunder at the second last looked to have cost him victory. However, by far the class horse in the race, he recovered to win comfortably.
That win added another £35,000 to the Skelton pot. The yard are now close to £2 million clear of closest rival Paul Nicholls. Most importantly though, it extends the chasm at the top over Willie Mullins, who will need an even more remarkable spring than last season to overhaul Skelton this season.
Todd relishing part in title-chasing team
Harry Skelton, Dan’s brother, is the main man in the saddle for the yard. However, every big team needs its right-hand men, and both were celebrating at Newbury on Saturday.
Todd is often the rider of choice whenever Skelton’s team is spread across the country. He filled in ably aboard Heltenham in the Greatwood Gold Cup and quickly lavished praise on his mount.
“It’s extraordinary when you look at the races he’s been in this season,” Todd said to the Racing Post. “Especially last time at Ascot. It’s a good training performance, and he obviously likes it around here.
“He travelled so well, but we wanted to take our time and get into a rhythm, and get him jumping. I thought he’d definitely stay, and he had as good a chance as everyone.”
Another man heavily involved in operations is Skelton’s head lad Nick Pearce. He led the team at Newbury and enjoyed Heltenham’s success as a “personal one.
“I’ve ridden him for the past six years, and I’m particularly fond of him. He’s been in good nick all year.
“He’s fallen a couple of times, but he’s only a couple of pounds higher than when he won this race two years ago. We knew that if his jumping came together, there was no reason why he couldn’t be competitive.”
Although a big race or two at Cheltenham or Aintree would go a long way, Pearce knows that every member of the team, human or equine, has had to contribute along the road.
“Every bit helps, and it’s all about leaving nothing behind, so we can take as much as we can. No horse is going to go for the race it shouldn’t be going for. We’ve got a lot of them running, but they’re all going and they’re all playing their part.”