Skelton Sets Out National Ambition For Panic Attack

Plans are afoot for the Skelton stable success to extend into spring as both Panic Attack and Grey Dawning have heading ambitions, at Aintree and Cheltenham respectively.


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


The Randox Grand National has actually therefore come into focus for the mare, with preparations likely to include a journey to Newbury and possibly Kelso as she is prepared for the world's greatest 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 path to the Grand National, that's our aim.


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


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


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


The Cheltenham Gold Cup now awaits the eight-year-old, who will get ready for the pinnacle of the National Hunt season with a run in the Cotswold Chase at the very same track in January rather of a formerly mooted journey to Ireland for the Savills Chase.


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


"He's a horse who has actually stepped up to the mark, it was a great run at Haydock and we'll be intending to duplicate one of those a couple of more times."