Skelton believes The New Lion ticks all boxes to be a champion hurdler

Dan Skelton is convinced The New Lion has all the attributes needed to become a champion hurdler.

A winner over two miles and five furlongs at the Cheltenham Festival as a novice last season, he was almost immediately made favourite for the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

A fall in the Fighting Fifth on his return to action was not ideal but he got back to winning ways, crucially over the shorter trip, at Cheltenham on Trials day.

“I think he’s in great form, you can see he looks magnificent. His season obviously had a rocky start up at Newcastle when he ended up where you don’t want to end up but I learned a good bit about him that day,” said Skelton.

“Coming into the season his one unanswered question was did he have the speed to deal with two miles and I thought he answered it that day but he ended up on the floor.

“He enhanced that opinion for me on Trials day but that was a bit of a non-event as they went slow and then quickened up against horses he should have beaten. What he showed was he was quick-footed, Harry (Skelton) held him into the bottom of all his hurdles.

“I think he’s in great physical condition and I wouldn’t swap him. I never had any inclination to take him to Kempton (for the Christmas Hurdle) so it’s not as if we missed a race, the only thing missing off his CV this year is a clear round and a high place or potentially better at Newcastle.”

While the International Hurdle did eventually turn into a bit of a “gimme” for The New Lion, it looked far from that pre-race against Sir Gino but he unfortunately picked up an injury mid-race.

Skelton went on: “I was a bit surprised he was favourite over the summer as I felt others had achieved more at two miles but I’m not surprised he’s favourite now.

“Even if Sir Gino had finished and he was faster than us, then he was faster than us. I don’t yearn to see all the championship things before you get there, I don’t think you need to. It’s sport, there’s an element of the unknown and that is what makes sport interesting, opinion. There’ll be someone who thinks Golden Ace will win, we’ve all got opinions.

“I think we have all the things he needs to win a Champion Hurdle but that is coming from a man who has never won one! I’ve obviously never had a better chance but I think everything he’s got are what is required. It will turn into a staying race, it always does.

“Put it this way, you might change your mind, whatever you fancy, halfway down the back as they are going so fast and you think it will turn into a staying race. All these things are to play out but I know he’s got all the things needed and I think he’ll go very close.

“He’s not a fabulous work horse but when he gets to the track he comes alive. We’re really happy with him. Tactics I will leave to Harry, we feel like he’s got the armoury to do either. I think we have what we need so let’s see it played out now.”