Dan hoping to see a new Dawning for Festival glory

DAN Skelton will head to this year’s Cheltenham Festival with contenders for all four feature races, but for a man descended from equestrian royalty then nurtured by one of the greatest National Hunt trainers of all time, it was always destined to happen.

- By ADAM MORGAN

Grey Dawning, ridden by Harry Skelton, on their way to winning the Turners' Novices' Chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival. The Gold Cup is the target next week

Son of dual Olympic showjumping champion Nick Skelton, a deep-rooted sense of the equine athlete is in the champion trainer-elect's DNA.

But it is arguably his apprenticeship served under Paul Nicholls at the time of the Ditcheat Galacticos that has prepared this year’s dominant force on the British training scene for what will ensue in the Cotswolds later this month.

Almost 20 years ago, Skelton was alongside Nicholls as Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded and Big Buck's travelled from Ditcheat’s millionaires row to conquer all on Prestbury Park turf.

Now it is the turn of the Lodge Hill handler to repeat those heroics in his own name, with The New Lion, Eau Du Sud, Kabral Du Mathan and Gold Cup hope Grey Dawning in his corner.

“It's what we wanted to do and what we all want to do and it feels brilliant,” said Warwickshire trainer Skelton on the prospect of saddling his four big-race contenders.