Dan Skelton targeting quality over quantity in big season for Lodge Hill Stables
QUALITY, not quantity.
That’s the mantra this season for trainer Dan Skelton, who’s targeting trophies rather than numbers in his latest campaign as master of Lodge Hill Stables.
A brilliant year in 2019 saw Paul Nicholls’ former assistant become only the second trainer to smash the double-century of winners – but he admits that’s the last thing on his mind this time around.
He said: “There’s no way I’ll get near the total of last year.
“It takes months of planning and I’m not so bothered about statistics – it’s quality I’m aiming for.
“Trophies and Cheltenham Festival winners are what mark you out and that’s the plan this year.
“We have some nice horses to go to war with and hopefully it’ll be a fine campaign.”
Among those setting Skelton’s pulse racing is Nube Negra.
The Spanish-bred five-year-old was a decent 137-rated hurdler, but it’s over fences Skelton reckons he can really excel.
He said: “Last year, Nube Negra was a typical case of a handicapper struggling without his juvenile allowance.
“It can sometimes be really hard for them switching out of novice company and we had a fruitless time of it last season.
“However, he showed the switch to fences has done him the world of good with a fine win on chasing debut at Warwick, where he beat a horse rated 151.
“He might run at Fakenham next week and then maybe go back to Warwick later in the month.
“I’m not going to run him at Cheltenham just yet but I think he’s exciting.”
The unexposed five-year-old was sold for a massive £620,000 after the dissolution of owners Grech and Parkin, and much is expected from the son of Network.
Skelton said: “He cost a lot of money but I’m not going to rush him.
“He’s got a big future as a chaser and is a lovely strong horse, so don’t expect the full monty from him as a hurdler.
“I want to get him through the next few weeks gradually and hopefully he can start after that.”
One novice who’s already started out is Beakstown.
Another scopey sort, his future was always likely to lie over fences and he produced a nice performance on chasing debut at Warwick.
Skelton said: “Beakstown was a little bit novicey on his chase debut behind Sam Spinner, but the mistakes are bound to come on his first outing.
“He’s done lots of jumping at home since then and in hindsight getting beaten by the World Hurdle runner-up is no bad thing – he’d have been miles him behind over hurdles.
“It’s quite exciting to think what he could achieve this year as he’s bigger and stronger than he was last season and it’s all about getting some practice into him.
“He jumped pretty well in the main and we’ll next go to Newbury in November.”
Skelton realises that to mix it with the very best he needs to win the big races – and Ch’tibello could be a horse who’s capable of doing just that.
He said: “I was delighted with Ch’tibello last year.
“He ran some big races in contests he wasn’t quite ready for and this year I expect him to be even better.
“He’s stronger than he was last season and it’s all roads to Cheltenham for the International Hurdle – he loves it there.”
If you’d been lucky enough to visit Stratford at the beginning of October then you’d have seen Maire Banrigh strut her stuff.
The lightly-raced seven-year-old was a revelation on her chasing debut, pulverising her opposition to run out a very taking winner.
Whether or not she’ll be good enough to mix it with the best is up for debate, but Skelton reckons he has a very exciting mare on his hands.
He said: “She’s one that has a big future.
“She carried an awful lot of weight on the way to victory at Stratford, where she jumped really well and beat them hollow.
“I think she’ll improve for that and if the ground isn’t too soft she’ll go for the Mares’ Listed Chase at Bangor on November 13.
“We’ve been waiting for her to jump fences and now it’s a case of how far she can go!”
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