Harry Skelton is confident that targeting the most winnable races with his brother Dan’s stable stars will lead to a good second half of the 2024/25 season – and help him land the top prize of £500,000 in the David Power Jockeys’ Cup.

Skelton, who tops the leaderboard on 232 points – 28 clear of second-placed Sam Twiston-Davies – with 10 weeks of the competition to run, explained that picking the right opportunities will prove crucial over the coming months.

He told Sporting Life in the first of their David Power Jockeys’ Cup podcast series: “Grey Dawning will probably head to Kelso for the Premier Chase and then onto Aintree for the Bowl.

“His owner wants to run him the race that we think he is most likely to win.

“Tom Messenger, our assistant who has a big role to play in the operation, he rides him every day, he knows the horse inside out, and we just feel that the best chance we have is at Aintree.

“He had a hard enough race on very testing ground in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and then it was all over very quickly in the King George.

“If that had gone differently, we might have carried on with the Gold Cup dream, but unfortunately this year we won’t be.”

Similarly, Country Mile, an impressive winner at Cheltenham in December, will likely head to Scotland next rather than join stablemate Valgrand in the County Hurdle.

“Country Mile – you can put a line through his last run as he ran him too quickly on poor ground – might head to Kelso for the Premier Hurdle and then to Aintree, like Grey Dawning.”

However, the Skeltons will still head to the Cheltenham Festival with a strong team, hoping to build on their best-ever tally of four winners which they picked up 12 months ago. The yard is currently leading the Trainers’ Championship thanks to over 130 winners and more than £2million in prize money.

Skelton explained that reigning Ryanair champion Protektorat will head straight to the Festival – ‘he’s come out of Windsor really well’ – and will be joined by leading Arkle hope L’Eau du Sud, another horse who includes Sir Alex Ferguson amongst his owners.

Unbeaten in three starts over fences, L’Eau du Sud was an impressive winner of the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase when last seen at the start of December.

Skelton said: “L’Eau du Sud will run in the Kingmaker at Warwick and then onto the Arkle.

“Sir Gino and many others will make sure that it won’t be as easy as when he won at Cheltenham in November but he’s the best we have and hopefully he will have a chance.

“Even if we are second to Sir Gino then I’ll pick up 10 points in the David Power Jockeys’ Cup and all the points are welcomed!”

On their team of handicappers, Skelton also provided positive updates on Unexpected Party, who will head back to the Grand Annual that he won 12 months ago, and Be Aware who will step back up in distance in the Coral Cup.

“Be Aware will go straight to the Coral Cup. I think he’s got a big chance stepping back up in trip,” said Skelton.

“We’ve kept him at two miles this year as he’s a bit headstrong and can be a bit keen and he didn’t have much experience.

“He’s the type of horse who could blow his race if getting a bump, he’s quite highly-strung. But hopefully now he’s learnt a bit more and I think he will go well.”

Although much of the focus on the David Power Jockeys’ Cup has been on the life-changing top prize of £500,000 awarded to the leading rider at the end of Aintree’s Grand National meeting, the impact on younger, less experienced riders will be felt just as much.

That’s the view of the 2020/21 Champion Jockey Harry Skelton, who leads the current Jockeys’ Cup standings with 232 points, and is full of praise for a competition that has made him reflect on his own beginnings in the sport.

The leading conditional jockey receives £25,000, with the runner-up picking up £5,000, and, as with the main prize fund, the trainer and stable staff also receive an additional 10%.

Skelton told Sporting Life in the first of their David Power Jockeys’ Cup podcast series: “When you’re young and coming through, that’s massive money and it will be a big boost for whoever wins.

“It’s prize money that wasn’t in the sport at this time last year – it’s a completely separate pot of money that’s come into racing.”

Dylan Johnston – whose highest-profile win this season came on Lump Sum in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las – may be chasing Freddie Gingell in the Conditional Jockeys’ Championship, but he currently leads him by 12 points in the Jockeys’ Cup standings.

Young Irish jockey Johnston finished fourth on his first ride as a conditional in a Thurles bumper in 2018, and credits Stuart Crawford for the experience he gave him in points and under rules, and Skelton believes that improving the point-to-point and amateur riding scene in Britain is crucial to the future of horse racing.

Skelton remembers: “I rode my claim out quick and I was with Paul Nicholls, but [after that] I had one season with eight winners. I wasn’t really ready. I never thought about stopping but I had to keep going, as I’d ridden out my claim and had no experience against older jockeys.

“You have to get that good foundation first. I think it’s a good idea to stay amateur and ride in point-to-points for as long as you can before you’re ready to go and ride on the track.

“We really need to support the point-to-points – I think that’s the big difference between England and Ireland – and we’ve bought some lovely young horses from the likes of Charlie Poste, Tom Ellis and John Dawson.

“People don’t always like change but it’s really important to give young riders a chance on quality horses, which is what we’ve been trying to do with some of our older horses.”

Though thankful for the leg up he received thanks to an illustrious father – then-58-year-old Nick Skelton became the oldest British Olympian gold medalist in 2016 – Harry recalls the hard work of his formative years.

He explained: “I went into racing when I was 16, riding out at Reg Hollinshead’s, and when Dad broke his neck in 2000 that’s when Dan and I decided to go into racing properly.

“Dad and my grandad – who is 94 – are our biggest critics which isn’t exactly what you want to hear when you’ve not given one the greatest ride!

“All I ever wanted to be was Champion Jockey. Luckily it happened and I’m in with a chance of it again this year.”

Nico De Boinville admitted “my heart was in my mouth” after Constitution Hill survived a hair-raising mistake at the final flight to seal victory in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Nicky Henderson’s stable star was nothing short of sensational when claiming Champion Hurdle glory in 2023, but was unable to defend his crown last term following well-documented health problems.

However, having proved his ability remains very much intact with a successful defence of the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on his Boxing Day comeback, Henderson decided to turn the eight-year-old out a month later for Festival Trials day and he was a prohibitive 1-12 chance to dispatch of five inferior rivals.

After initially taking a lead off Brentford Hope, Nico de Boinville felt the pace was too sedate for Constitution Hill heading down the back straight and allowed him to stride on jumping the fourth obstacle.

He did not see another horse from there home and while the packed grandstands gasped when he paddled through the final obstacle, it did little to stop his momentum as he cruised up the hill under his motionless rider to score by three lengths.

Brentford Hope boxed on to finish a clear second, with Spirits Bay back in third.

A relieved De Boinville admitted: “My heart was in my mouth, he was doing everything so easily, but he found a leg and is hardly blowing. I’m delighted with him, just angry at myself more than anything.

“He was just half-asleep. I’d say if I’d woken him up after the second-last you’d be going forward, but he was doing it so easy. I just said to the boss we’re going to have to work him next week because he’s had an easy time of it there.

“He is special, as I’ve always said he’s a horse of a lifetime and everything went to plan bar the last.

“He felt as good as ever. I don’t know if he can be better, but he was good.”

Henderson said: “I’m pleased he ran today because Nico said he was so fresh and with no disrespect to the others, he said he hasn’t done anything there and I need to work him tomorrow – so I think he’s coming in to ride him!

“He came out of Kempton so much better and quicker than I thought he would and my first reaction was ‘we don’t have to go through all that again until March’. But a week later he was just full of it. I did wait until last week before I dared stick my head up and say we would run because I didn’t want to tempt fate, but he’s just been brilliant all the way through. It’s nearly been too straightforward.

“He deserves this bit of luck, Michael (Buckley, owner) deserves this bit of luck and we all deserve the luck, but we’re here now and we’ve got four or five weeks to play with and apparently I need to keep working him.”

L’Homme Presse narrowly denied the gallant Stage Star in a thrilling climax to the Betfair Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.

Having finished fourth in the Gold Cup last March, and emerged best of the home team when third on his reappearance in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, the Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse was sent off at 4-5 to cement his status as Britain’s leading hope for this year’s blue riband.

But in Stage Star, who has largely struggled since winning the 2023 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham for Paul Nicholls, he came up against a worthy adversary.

Stepped up to beyond three miles for the first time, Stage Star was clearly enjoying himself out in front from an early stage under Harry Cobden, with L’Homme Presse and Irish raider Gentlemansgame the only two able to go with him.

L’Homme Presse was upsides Stage Star from the home turn, but the latter refused to bend in front and it was only in the dying strides the market leader managed to get on top in the hands of Charlie Deutsch, with three-quarters of a length the winning margin.

Coral cut L’Homme Presse’s Cheltenham Gold Cup odds to 16-1 from 25-1, while Paddy Power offer 20-1 from 25-1. The latter firm also trimmed his Ryanair Chase odds to 16-1 from 40-1.

Williams said: “He keeps us on the edge of our seats, doesn’t he? Charlie said he was so laid-back the whole way round in the race and turning for home said ‘come on now, we’ve got a race to win’.
“I always thought we’d have Stage Star covered, but credit to Stage Star he’s a great horse and made him pull it all out.

“He’s trotted back to the winner’s enclosure here and how many horses do you see run three miles at Cheltenham then trot back. It’s all been relatively straightforward this year and he came back from Kempton in great form so we’ve just been able to make a standard progression to here.

“I’m pleased to get this race in the bag. We’ll see about March and it’s one step at a time, but I’m pleased with that. I think the ground could prove quite relevant in March because he wasn’t getting tired last year and the others only got on top on the way to the line, I don’t think staying the trip will be a problem for him.

“Everyone has built up the Irish as unbeatable and then the entry came from Britain and it was depleted. I think a lot of that is because people get frightened, but at the end of the day it’s who wins the race on the day and you don’t even know if all the main protagonists will get there in one piece. I’m quite surprised we’re one of the leading British contenders, but we’ll see in March.”

Jonbon ground Energumene into submission to land another fantastic triumph in the BetMGM Clarence House Chase at Ascot.

Nico de Boinville was positive from the outset and soon established an advantage at the head of affairs on the 8-13 favourite.

There was a point in the race where Nicky Henderson’s charge was not so fluent at the fences and that allowed Paul Townend to close up on Energumene entering the home straight.

However, Jonbon kicked again and got his act together in the jumping department when it mattered most, galloping on strongly to prevail by six and a half lengths.

The JP McManus-owned nine-year-old made it 17 wins from 20 races under Rules and strengthened his position as favourite for the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival

De Boinville, who ended the day joint-second in the David Power Jockeys’ Cup table, revealed his race plan was focussed solely on Jonbon, rather than riding to beat Energumene.

He said: “They’ve done a tremendous job with him at home and I only ever school him, I don’t get on him any other time.

“The race went really smoothly and I felt like we were only doing a half-speed, but I think we were trapping along really. It was always the plan (to go forward) and I was aware horses can get caught late on here, so I just kept nudging him out to the line. I honestly just rode my own race today and if Energumene was good enough, then he was good enough.

“He’s a fantastic horse and he was good at the last – it might have made a nice picture!”

Sean Graham, racing manager to Energumene’s owner Tony Bloom, felt the good ground at Ascot had favoured Jonbon and conditions could now be key to future targets.

He said: “Paul just said on that ground Jonbon had too much speed for him and the race probably didn’t pan out in a way that suited us.

“He got alongside them four out and Jonbon just picked up and went away from them. On that ground, we’re going to struggle. Our fella is 11 and Jonbon is a nine-year-old reaching his peak.

“We probably just need to pick our battles and that might mean very soft ground. There will be no decision made on the Champion Chase yet and that will be left to Willie and Paul and we’ll go along with whatever they decide. But certainly if the ground came up heavy like it did at Cheltenham last year, you would maybe have a pop.

“I don’t want to put anyone wrong or put anyone off, but Willie and Paul will make the decision.

“He’s bounced back from defeat in this race before and when we were stood in this position after the defeat to Shishkin, I turned round and said ‘how do we turn that around at Cheltenham?’.

“He did and then he was even more disappointing when he got beat in the Clarence House at Cheltenham (when third in 2023) and went and won the Champion Chase again that year, so the horse keeps surprising us. So he might surprise us again.”

Townend added: “He ran well, but wasn’t good enough today. Cheltenham is a different place.”

Pub lunch to celebrate a winner

There was no let up on the weather front last weekend. Kempton on Saturday was called off and I had to detour to Ffos Las where I picked up a couple of rides. I did leave with a win and a second, though, so it wasn’t a disaster by any means.

No racing on Sunday meant I got to spend the day at the Farmer’s Dog, Jeremy Clarkson’s new pub. I’m a big fan of the show so it was great to get down there with my partner and her two brothers for a Sunday lunch. I’m no food critic but the meal was very good. I think Jeremy is actually involved with a horse called The Hawkstonian trained by Ben Pauling and I think it’s great to have characters like him getting involved the sport. Apart from that I’ve been a lot busier riding out this week as the weather has mellowed and horses are getting back into their routine. On that note, I’m at Ascot on Saturday for a great day’s racing highlighted by the Clarence House Chase and then on to Windsor for the final day of the Berkshire Winter Millions meeting.

My Ascot rides in the David Power Jockeys’ Cup

In the 2m5f chase (2.15) I ride Terresita and will be hoping to pick up some Jockeys’ Cup points. She’s running off a career-high mark in this after finishing third around here last time. It was a really good race, but things just happened a bit quick for her that day. She didn’t mind the track at all though, and the ground should be a bit slower for her here which I think she’ll appreciate. Before that run she won a Listed race and I think she’ll have every chance.

Laurens Bay (4.02) is a really nice, big, scopey horse and I’m happy to be riding him for Jamie Snowden. He’s taken a bit of time to get ready and he can be quite workmanlike, but 2m5f around here should suit him. It’s not a big field, and that shouldn’t matter to him, but he is a progressive horse and hopefully he can back up his win from last time in this.

And on to Windsor on Sunday…

Guard Duty (1.20) is a horse that I probably should have won on in his last race when he finished second at Lingfield. I felt like I was on the best horse in the race on that occasion and it’s never ideal when you don’t win and you feel like that, but hopefully knowing him a bit more now, I can go one better and get the result in this.

Git Maker (2.30) has been off the track since April of last year when he was third in the Scottish Grand National and before that finished second at the Cheltenham Festival. He ran a massive race in the former and I was really pleased with him. Coming back to hurdles in this I’d imagine he’s a horse that will need the run, but I’m hoping he can run a respectable race.

I ride Animal (3.40) in the Fitzdares Winter Stayers’ Handicap Chase over an extended three and a half miles. The plan was originally to run in the Sussex Grand National earlier this month but unfortunately that meeting fell to the weather. I think he might just suit this track, and if the field end up going quite quickly (which I think they will do) then it should suit him as he’s a hold up horse and can pick up the pieces. He’s still off a winnable mark so hopefully he can go well.

Finally, I ride One Knight (4.10) who won a bumper at a big price but his odds will be shorter here now that he has shown we can go. He’s a nicely bred horse and I actually won on his mother in a Listed race some seven years ago! It’s great to be back in the colours of Paul Jacobs, but I think the horse to beat in this will be El Cairos for Gary and Josh Moore who showed a lot of speed and class when winning at Newbury.

Harry Fry was delighted and relieved in equal measure after seeing stable star Gidleigh Park get his season back on track with a front-running victory in the Fitzdares Lightning Novices’ Chase at Windsor.

However, despite having to settle for second place aboard Caldwell Potter, it was also good news for jockey Harry Cobden as two runner-up finishes saw him move into second place in the David Power Jockeys’ Cup standings.

Always held in the highest regard by his trainer, Gidleigh Park won a Chepstow bumper and his first three starts over hurdles before finishing sixth in the Albert Bartlett at last season’s Cheltenham Festival.

He was an odds-on favourite to make a successful switch to chasing at Kempton in November, but was pulled up after jumping five fences and was later found to be suffering from a fibrillating heart.

As a result, Gidleigh Park lined up in this Grade Two contest as a 15-2 outsider of four under Bryan Carver, but it was clear from an early stage he was enjoying the task, as he set a strong gallop from flag-fall that only 4-6 favourite Caldwell Potter was able to live with.

Grade One-winning hurdler Caldwell Potter, a €740,000 purchase on behalf of an ownership group that includes Sir Alex Ferguson, loomed up looking a big danger early in the home straight, but Gidleigh Park kept galloping out in front and was well on top as he passed the post with four lengths in hand.

At the end of the first day of the Winter Millions Meeting, Harry Skelton tops the leaderboard with 194 points, but a pair of runner-up finishes for Cobden was enough to see him move into second place on 170, just ahead of Nico de Boinville on 168.

Exciting novice chaser Handstands could be set for Grade One company next after landing the rescheduled and feature DragonBet Towton Novices’ Chase at Ffos Las on Saturday as the latest round of the David Power Jockeys’ Cup headed to west Wales.

The big-race winner was partnered by Ben Jones, who moved up to clear eighth in the Jockeys’ Cup standings on 74 points, while rider Gavin Sheehan profited most on the afternoon with a winner and a second to cement his sixth place in the table with a new total of 98 points.

Handstands was to the fore from flag-fall alongside Cherie d’Am in the highlight of the rearranged fixture, yet the latter ultimately dropped away tamely as the Ben Pauling-trained winner and Jones took over on the run to the fourth-last.

Lord Of Thunder did very well to get back into it and attempt to go with him after being severely hampered by the fall of Range, but Handstands always looked in control and drew right away after the last.

They were the only two finishers in what proved a gruelling affair.

Trainer “delighted”

Pauling said: “I was delighted and we were learning plenty as we have never run on that tacky, holding, hard-work ground before.

“I’ve heard the reaction and some people suggested he was a bit novicey, but I think he was just learning to get out of the ground to be honest and making too much effort and ballooning a couple as a result.

“Ultimately he has done it very well and Ben was delighted with how he jumped after he ballooned the ditch and it’s another step in the right direction. It looked a competitive enough field on paper and I know there was some misfortune at the third-last but I think they were all coming to the end of their tether and it was probably why they fell.

“I was really quite taken with how well he was going turning for home, he just quickened off the bend and sort of put the race to bed and after the last he somehow quickened again.

“Ben said he finished the race as fresh as a daisy and doesn’t think he has had an overly-hard race which is quite extraordinary considering the ground there today. I’m just delighted and it’s another step on the road for a nice, progressive young novice chaser.”

Connections may bypass Cheltenham

Handstands could now make a relatively quick return to action at Sandown on February 1 for a step up to Grade One company in the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.

And with Pauling and the gelding’s owners willing to bypass the Cheltenham Festival and a potential clash with high-ranking stablemate The Jukebox Man, the six-year-old could instead head to Aintree in the spring.

“It’s a quick enough turnaround for the Scilly Isles, but that would very much be on our minds if he comes out of this in good form,” continued Pauling.

“The Radfords have never been overly fussed by going to Cheltenham with him this year, they are not trying to avoid it, but they think the Scilly Isles and possibly Aintree might be the way forward and I can’t say I disagree.

“If we manage to get to the Scilly Isles in good form he will have been busy enough and will be his fourth run of the season and that and on to Aintree could round up a lovely season for him really.”

He went on: “We’ve some lovely horses coming through and are lucky to have the owners to buy us these horses. So I have to say a huge thank you to them really.

“Of course I wouldn’t really want to go and take on The Jukebox Man at Cheltenham, but if the Radfords wanted to go I would. However, it’s a nice position to be in to be able to keep them apart.”