Dan Skelton hailed The New Lion as the best horse he has trained after his star novice came out on top in a thrilling edition of the Turners Novices’ Hurdle.
The New Lion, who had been purchased by leading owner JP McManus after extending his unbeaten record to four in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle, was relatively weak in the betting and sent off at 3/1, behind Final Demand (6/4) and The Yellow Clay (5/2) in the betting.
The big three in the market all had a chance turning into the straight, with Final Demand moving up to challenge The Yellow Clay on the run to the final flight. However, it was The New Lion, confidently ridden by Harry Skelton, who had the most pace up the run-in and edged ahead of the rallying The Yellow Clay by three-quarters of a length. Final Demand was four and three-quarter lengths back in third.
Dan Skelton, who became the first British trainer to win the Turners Novices’ Hurdle since Ben Pauling struck with Willoughby Court in 2017, said: “It’s unchartered territory for me as a trainer in my own right. When I worked for Paul [Nicholls] we had all those superstars but I haven’t had one that can do things like this horse. His simplicity is his greatest asset, he’s so easy.”
Skelton has never kept secret the regard in which he holds The New Lion and he said: “That one was relief. Our mouths probably ran away with ourselves back in the autumn, but he’s a very special horse. I trusted him the whole way around there.
“Harry has given him an unbelievably good ride and trusted him as much as I was trusting him from the stands. Going down to the last it got tight, but I knew he’d win. It takes a horse that I’ve never had before to get past him. It was sublime. I’m so, so proud of the team.
“He’s a phenomenal horse, it was a great race.”
The winning rider was equally glowing about The New Lion and said: “He’s got it all. You hope you have one day in your career that you come across a good one – and he’s a good one. I’m delighted he’s come here and done it on the day.
“Ever since I rode this horse as a three-year-old I thought there’s something different. He’s taken time to come to hand but it was a masterful bit of training by Dan. He never rushed him and let him find his feet.”
The Yellow Clay may have lost his unbeaten record over hurdles but he went down fighting, and Gordon Elliott was proud of his effort. The trainer said: Elliott said: “He ran a brilliant race and Jack [Kennedy] has given him a peach of a ride and I couldn’t be happier with him. He is a good horse.
“I thought we got a beautiful run throughout the race and I don’t think there were any excuses anywhere. There was no hard luck story. They went a good gallop out there and I would say that race will end up being a proper race.
“We will get him home and see how he is, but he could easily go to either Aintree or Punchestown.”
Elliott will take some time to decide with the owners, Noel and Valerie Moran, whether The Yellow Clay will go chasing next season, but Willie Mullins is already looking forward to sending Final Demand over fences. Mullins said: “He ran a really good race, but he was just not good enough on the day.
“The New Lion was a very good winner, but we look forward to going chasing with our lad next season.”
There were no regrets from the trainer about not going to the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle with Final Demand, and he added: “I just felt I didn’t want to go the trip in the Albert Bartlett at this stage of his career. He will probably end up going three miles next season, but not now. I’m happy that we ran him in a race that will be better for his future.
“I imagine we will go to Punchestown with him at the end of the season.”
