Skeltons enjoy day in dreamland thanks to double
Tuesday and Wednesday at Cheltenham were most certainly all about the record-breaking Willie Mullins and his family, but in a wonderful and refreshing change, yesterday belonged to the Skeltons.
After a morale-sapping first two days playing fifth fiddle to Ireland – and in particular Mullins – in all the top races, trainer Dan and jockey Harry led a sterling British comeback charge with a Grade One double courtesy of Grey Dawning in the Turners Novices’ Chase and Sir Alex Ferguson’s Protektorat in the Ryanair Chase. The brothers were already on the scoreboard when Langer Dan and Unexpected Party landed gambles in Wednesday’s two valuable handicaps, but yesterday’s high-end double put them into dreamland.
“Two Grade Ones at the Cheltenham Festival – it just doesn’t get better than that,” said Dan, as pleased for his grafting staff up the road at Alcester as he was for himself.
Harry gave a special shout-out to Protektorat’s groom, Izzy Algieri, after the nine-year-old outstayed last year’s Ryanair winner, Envoi Allen.
“Izzy is an absolute saint because she looks after him every day and he’s as mad as a wasp,” said the rider.
This return to the top table justified Dan’s decision to drop Protektorat down in distance after two creditable, but failed attempts to win the Gold Cup, Cheltenham’s marquee race.
It was Sir Alex’s second win of the day, after Monmiral triumphed in the Pertemps Hurdle for his first victory at Cheltenham in 20 years. Fellow FA Cup-winning former football manager Harry Redknapp also tasted success, with Shakem up’Harry in the Trustatrader Plate.
Redknapp said: “Oh my god, get in there! How good was that? He jumped for fun. What a performance. ”
Irish order was briefly restored in the Stayers’ Hurdle with a first seven led home by Gordon Elliott’s favourite, Teahupoo.
As always, it was greeted by the traditional Irish roar and there was also a huge cheerio cheer for the fans’ favourite and 2019 winner Paisley Park, who was retired immediately after trailing home nearer last than first on his sixth appearance in the contest.