Skelton Sets Out National Ambition For Panic Attack

Plans are afoot for the Skelton stable to extend into spring as both Anxiety attack and Grey Dawning have headline ambitions, at Aintree and Cheltenham respectively.


Panic Attack rewarded the vibrant marketing of Dan Skelton and owner Bryan Drew when taking both the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Coral Gold Cup within 2 weeks, the latter of which showed her stamina over a prolonged three-mile-two-furlong journey for the very first time.


The Randox Grand National has for that reason entered focus for the mare, with preparations most likely to include a journey to Newbury and possibly Kelso as she is readied for the world's biggest steeplechase in April.


Anxiety attack winning the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury (Steven Paston/PA)


"She's going to go to Newbury in January, there's a mares' race for her there," said Skelton.


"Then she will potentially go to Kelso en route to the Grand National, that's our goal.


"If we elegant having a go at the mares' chase at the Cheltenham Festival then we might, however our sights are strongly set on the Grand National."


Another success story for the Skelton team this term so far was Grey Dawning's Betfair Chase success, in which he reversed the form with Royale Pagaille having actually finished the runner-up behind him 12 months prior.


Grey Dawning at Aintree last season (Mike Egerton/PA)


The Cheltenham Gold Cup now waits for the eight-year-old, who will get ready for the peak of the National Hunt season with a run in the Cotswold Chase at the very same track in January instead of a previously mooted trip to Ireland for the Savills Chase.


"I had the entry for him in Ireland and I was actually tempted by it, but on balance we believed it was more practical to keep him this side of the Irish Sea before his Gold Cup bid," said Skelton.


"He's a horse who has stepped up to the mark, it was an excellent perform at Haydock and we'll be wanting to reproduce among those a few more times."